My Assassin Lover
by Coka Cookie Cola
Summary: Rin is the only daughter of the Emperor, who is sought after by countless suitors throughout Japan. However, after her first encounter with her father's master assassin's son... she finds herself falling in love with him. Can they be together or will Rin's recent engagement to a warlord's son interfere?
1. Chapter 1: Pieces Of My Heart

**I feel like it's been so long since I wrote a Sesshomaru and Rin story… Well, I hope you guys will like this one! ^_^**

**Summary**: Rin was the beautiful daughter of the Emperor, coveted by countless suitors throughout the country of Japan. However, the one man that she could only love was the son of her father's master assassin… Can they be together? Or will her recent engagement to a warlord's son interfere with their love?

**Disclaimer: I do not claim to own InuYasha and the wonderful characters within this touching anime; applaud of acknowledgement is sent toward Rumiko Takahashi – the true creator**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 1: Pieces Of My Heart**

"I have had it up to here, with my father," A brunette ran her petite fingers through her dark, silky locks of onyx hair – which cascaded down her back in soft and glossy waves.

"I know, sweetheart, but he just wants what is best for you," Her mother consoled her, as she placed one of her tender hands unto her daughter's back, caressing it gently.

"He always wants to involve me in his ridiculous schemes; doesn't he care at all?" She cried, hiding her peachy complexion within the palm of her hands.

"Rin, your father does care for you. He is looking out for your best interests."

Rin snorted, raising a skeptical expression of belief from her mother; fortunately, she did not note on the un-lady like behaviour that Rin had just performed.

Rin was about the most opposite of a lady that any mother could ever wish for; ever since she was a child, Rin did not care about associating with potential husbands or friends her own age that loved to play tea parties, she did not particularly care to dress up like a young woman of society and she did not take kindly for her father to arrange a marriage for her. Rin used to be such a happy child, but once puberty struck at the age of twelve, Rin turned from a delightful little girl to a rebellious teenager. And this was four years ago.

Now, Rin was sixteen and it was her first introduction into society: basically saying that she was now going to be available for young men to start courting.

Rin did not want to get married: she only wanted to stay single, carefree and laidback. To her, boys were just a waste of time. To her, there were more important things in her life to worry about.

"If he actually wanted me to be happy, he'd let me go to school like any other girl. He'd let me make my own friends, he'd let me experience normal things that a girl like me should be doing. Instead, he has me cooped up in my room, forces me to attend these incredibly dull parties and to say hello to older men that are probably twice my age." It was hard not to take her rant to the next level – especially since her mother had been letting Rin vent. It was hard to stay even remotely calm; but if you were in the same situation as Rin, you'd feel just as trapped and hopeless.

Rin didn't care that she was the daughter of the Emperor; she just wanted a normal life… Unfortunately, karma had not been kind to her (as she had been told that she had been a naughty little thing throughout her life), therefore, it was not possible.

"I'm sorry, Rin. I cannot help that your father is protective of you."

Protective seemed like it's the understatement of the year. Even if Rin had asked something of her father, the fact that he sometimes gave into all of her demands was saying something: he must have cared more about himself and the fate of his country rather than his family.

But considering that there were _**some**_ times when he would let her do something with the accompaniment of an adult figure… and the fact that they did not see each other as often as he would have liked, Rin knew she was safe for the time being. Safe, because, it meant there were no boys that Rin's daddy wanted her to meet.

"Well, what does he want of me this time?" Rin pouted, her bow-shaped, pink lips pressed together in a frown.

"There is a nice boy that he would like you to meet."

In Rin's opinion, men were like pests – they just would not leave her alone! Sometimes, Rin wished that she was born ugly: then she wouldn't have to be attracting the attention of all of these guys… However, her family had superb genes that just had to be passed down to her so there was always a chance she'd come out good-looking.

"Nice boy?" Rin asked, reluctant to believe it.

"If you wish, I will let you choose your outfit."

Rin's mother gave her only daughter a grin, before she left the room. Before she left Rin alone…

Rin sighed heavily, knowing that she could not get herself out of this predicament… If she could run away, she could… but she didn't want her family to worry: especially her mother.

It would be simpler if she could just be the obedient daughter; she could always see the disappointment shining through her mother's eyes. She could never be that girl…

**:3 :3 :3**

"Father?" Rin asked, her tone filled with shyness and a little bit of discomfort. She was being forced to meet another boy against her will, so how would anyone else feel in that situation? How could anyone like being trapped in a life where you were only good for certain things? Marriage consisted of cooking, cleaning and making babies for the domestic housewife. It was something that Rin hated to consider…

Kiyotu Sunata turned to see his precious offspring enter the room; who was dressed in a dark kimono-inspired dress, which cut off to the knees. A flicker of warmth hit his heart; Rin looked much like her mother.

Though if there was one thing that Rin had inherited from him, it was her alluring eye colour, which was the same shade of cocoa.

Rin pursed her lips as her father looked up and down, as though he were searching for any flaws. Rin tensed, as she walked forward, with her hands by her side; to be honest, she was even more uncomfortable. Wearing such a tight crimson dress nearly cut off her air supply, her raven hair was put up into a bun and her complexion was applied with foundation and some make-up. She had been told this was all done to enhance her features, but really, Rin did not feel like she was herself.

She felt like she was a doll, for someone else to manipulate at a particular time. She never felt like she had the freedom she so desperately desired to do what she wanted with her life. Heck, she was getting to the point of wanting to choose her own boyfriend!

"Rin," Kiyotu greeted in return.

It was at that moment when Rin had noticed another person in the room, more specifically, it was a man. At first, she didn't know what to make of him.

At first, it appeared that he did not want to be here: Rin could see how bored he was, just by gazing into his dark brown eyes.

Rin thought he was handsome… in a way. This man had long, auburn hair tied into a ponytail – which floated down his back. His complexion was slightly tanned, but it did not mean that he was an albino. His cheeks were chiseled, like he was meant to be a gift for the gods. Then Rin had to note his lips, which were twisted into a small frown. But the moment his eyes met hers… it was like he was tremendously pleased to see her.

"You must be the lovely Rin; you are much prettier than what I have been told," He stated, as his lips turned into a smile…albeit quickly.

Rin forced a smile, revealing her pearly white teeth. "How do you do?"

Of course she didn't even flush when he told her how beautiful she was. Then again… she didn't feel anything remotely romantic to the guy, of course.

"I am very well, Miss Rin. I take it that your father has told you about the upcoming arrangement?"

"I don't believe so…" Rin blinked; she could feel her skin turn clammy and grey and she was pretty sure that the make-up she had on couldn't cover it. She was vulnerable to anyone looking at her… who could just tell that she was nervous about the whole thing.

But in truth she had a bad feeling…

"Allow me to introduce you to your future husband, Rin. This is Lord Hakashi's son – Ryusei."

Rin felt like she was going to faint… She should have seen this engagement happening.

Maybe she should have run away.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Mama! How could you!" Rin screamed, as tears ran down her cheeks; a plethora of emotions ran through her… she was angry, she was nervous, and she was upset. But of course she was angry more than anything else; she was betrothed. "You told me that I was only supposed to meet a boy! I didn't think I'd be engaged! This isn't the feudal era!"

Her mother, Ryou, sat back, allowing her daughter to vent. In truth, she supposed she felt guilt because of the customs they had been accustomed to follow since the start of their bloodline, to pass down to her daughter.

Rin fell silent, noting that her mother didn't appear to be affected by her outburst.

She sat down across from her mother, looking expectedly in her direction. "You knew… you knew all along. I'm supposed to be a trade, aren't I?" Rin's heart still beat against her chest in a violent motion.

"No you are not, Rin. You are our daughter and we will always love you."

Rin felt reluctant (extremely reluctant) to believe her mother's words. She had trusted her, but then Rin realized that she shouldn't be angry at anyone. She should only be angry at herself…

"I don't know what to think." It was like Rin's mind was scattered and it was hopeless to put together all of the pieces that were lost.

"In time, you will understand. I do not blame you for you being upset about this, Rin. But just know that your father has a purpose to everything he does."

Ryou's hazel eyes sparkled with love and adoration for her child. She would always love her, no matter what would happen. Even if there were times when she looked as though she were ashamed of Rin, which was not the truth.

But Rin could not see it…

"But I can't marry a man I don't love, Mama. I just don't know him, I don't know…" Rin moaned, as she took in deep breaths of air.

"You will learn to love him, Rin." For some reason, Ryou had looked hesitant before she had answered; it was like she was hiding something from her daughter. "In the meantime, get some rest."

She kissed her daughter on the top of her head, before she left.

Rin was alone. In all sense of the word, she felt more abandoned than ever.

_Maybe the marriage won't be so bad,_ one part of Rin told her, like it was supposed to comfort her. _Who knows, maybe he's really nice._ Rin couldn't help but scoff.

This Ryusei guy was nice, but… she knew he wasn't the one for her. There was no way she could grow to love him.

She was sixteen and engaged. That thought had to run possibly a thousand times in her mind, before Rin could acknowledge that she had to give up on fighting this.

What was the point… right? When Rin knew she would never be allowed to make her own decisions…

But maybe she could escape it for a night. Just one night without any worries; just one night to be herself…

What was the worst that could happen?

**:3 :3 :3**

**So what do you guys think about the pilot chapter? **

**Please review – I'd LOVE to know what you guys think!**


	2. Chapter 2: Lonely And Forgotten

**OMG! Look at all these reviews! Thank you so much for giving this story a chance!**

**Lady Shenzuki**: You shouldn't like Ryusei at all… you'll see why in future chapters. Oh and Sesshomaru will come soon enough! ^_^

**Icegirljenni**: I'm lucky that I am NEVER going to be put in that situation… But in this case, true love will prevail! Nice to read from you again!

**Nazylen1010**: Aww, thank you so much; I'm glad that you like it! :D

**Ms. Twistedmischievous**: Thanks for reviewing; I really appreciate it!

**ChouRan**: Maybe Sesshomaru will find her…:D Just keep reading – you'll find out soon enough!

**Hhflyka**: Your review gives me tingles of delight! ^_^ Thanks for reviewing!

**Gaga overSesshy**: Ha ha, nice penname – I LOVE it! :D And don't worry about her rebellious attitude; once she meets Sesshomaru, she'll be… gaga over him. XD If I was in an arranged marriage, I wouldn't know what I'd do…

**Gonzo8886**: I adore you so much for reviewing!

**Sessrin4EverTID**: Aww, your review gives me the strength to go on… Thank you!

**Smpt**: I like you; I can't wait to hear from you in the future! :3

**Erika**: Thanks so much for reviewing – I appreciate it!

**DelSan 13**: I think you are one of the few reviewers who can actually be patient waiting for updates. LOL. Thanks so much for reviewing!

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 2: Lonely And Forgotten**

Her soul was lost, as it wondered along the streets of the city… She saw nothing but the stars, glowing luminescent in the sapphire sky… She would have enjoyed it, if only it weren't for the mass amount of guilt she felt for running away.

To Rin, running was the only option left for her; yet at the same time, she contradicted herself into thinking that she could never escape from the life that her father had planned for her… She would always feel utterly trapped with no way out…

Her guilt started to consume her the moment she had escaped her family's mansion. What would her mother think if she saw her now – trying to run for freedom? Rin didn't even want to ponder that thought at all! And what would her father say of her? It was highly unlikely that he'd approve of her behaviour, which made her all the more motivated to leave this place behind.

Sure, she had some happy memories in her past, but she had unhappy feelings in her present.

The fact that she was engaged to Ryusei Hakashi made Rin feel even more helpless; she still felt like she was a doll manipulated to her father's every whim.

And he had not even noticed how unhappy she had become.

Not for the first time, Rin thought that he didn't even care about what she thought at all…

Rin shook her head to clear her thoughts; this was the first evening in her life that she managed to see the bright city lights without accompaniment. She was finally free… or at least, for the time being.

But now that she had escaped the confinement of her supposed 'home', what was she to do now?

Rin shivered, as the cold wind brushed against her skin. She buried herself deeper in her onyx winter coat, trying to keep her body warm. But to no avail, she was still deathly cold. If she stopped moving, her legs would be shaking. Rin berated herself for not putting on any warm clothes, but was it really her fault for not knowing what the temperature would be like at this time of night?

Rin looked up to see something that she wouldn't have calculated in her plan.

Shivers cascaded down her spine, as she stopped her movements; her eyes widened in fear, her heart was about to leap out of her chest and fear was starting to consume her from the inside…

"Are you lost, sweetheart?"

Oh no. She wished that this could never happen to her… Rin always assumed that she would never run into men in the night; her father did warn her at one point that she would always need someone to escort her into the city. For the first time, Rin wished she was back in her warm, cozy bed and not on the dark streets where anything could just happen to her.

For the second time that evening, Rin mentally scolded herself for even thinking that she could get through this unharmed.

Rin took a good look at the three males that walked in her direction; she tensed in discomfort, as she realized that they looked like predators stalking their prey…

And she was their victim. She could be raped, she could be taken, or she could be killed…

Oh no. This could not be good…

"I think she's shy, man."

"Well, I think I know how to break her out of her shell."

Then Rin's life flashed before her eyes; so what if she was going to marry a dude she's never met, let alone LOVED, in her life? So what if her father had an overprotective streak? So what if her mother would never take her side on anything regarding her life?

She was not going to let this happen to her. No way. She was only sixteen years old: she never even lived her life!

Rin decided to make a break for it; she didn't know how far she'd make it, she didn't know where to go, but all she knew was that these creeps were bad news… As long as she was not in their vicinity, she'd be safe. Right?

And so she did run. She ran like hell. Rin had never been much of a runner, but since there were three men that seemed to take an unhealthy interest in her, it was plenty of motivation to run as fast as she could.

"Where are you going, sweetheart? Wait up!" One of the men called out, before each and every one of them burst into malicious laughter.

Rin's heart pounded against her chest like never before; like her, it wanted an escape…

Rin could only hope that she'd see the last of those guys, but deep down, something told her that she was wrong.

What if she got caught? What would happen to her then?

Rin couldn't bear to think about it… She couldn't bear to be brutally ripped away of her precious possession, her virginity - especially by a bunch of creepy older men. She couldn't bear to be taken in as a possession, merely a toy to play with. Rin would have none of that.

She just wanted to escape from all the turmoil in her life, and since it was apparent that the Gods were not pleased with her little Mission Impossible stunt that she pulled off (to her own surprise), she did not deserve a happy ending. Which led Rin to second-guess her choices.

It was apparent that she hadn't been too smart thinking it all through, which immediately caused guilt to return in her system. Maybe it was better that she was locked up in a dungeon and was never allowed to exit.

Rin shook her head; that was the adrenaline talking.

Rin found herself at a dead end in an alley; she had no clue where her legs had transported to, which made the whole situation worse at every turn. Rin groaned. Her life was definitely coming to an end. By all means, her death was coming at the hands of three buff and perverted serial killers.

Her emotions flip-flopped; one minute she was thinking she was going to die at a very young age and a few seconds later, she was telling herself she was going to make it. But how though? She never took any self-defense classes because there was no need for it!

"There she is boys."

Rin was pretty sure her heart was about to explode; from the way it was pumping in her chest right now, it was close to reaching its limit.

She had been found.

Rin slowly turned around to meet the wanton stares of the three guys she had encountered earlier. She hadn't been quick enough, it seemed…

"For such a pretty little thing, you can run," One man licked his lips in anticipation, as he hungrily looked her up and down.

"Don't call her pretty yet. Not until what we see what she's hiding beneath that jacket."

Rin whimpered, feeling nothing but fright. This was it… her life was over… The moment the guys had their way with her, she'd be dead. And no one would be there to hear her scream for her life…

Tears streamed down her cheeks and she didn't stop them. Crying was all that she could do…

She shut her eyes as tight as she could, as she waited for the upcoming treatment she'd receive.

_1, 2, 3, 4…_ Nothing had happened.

In fact, there was nothing but silence… after all; Rin had covered her ears as well as her eyes.

It made Rin curious; what had just happened? Did the men leave? Was she all alone? At first, Rin was too frightened to check; maybe they were just giving her a false sense of security before taking her.

Rin hated those anticipating moments before the worst would actually come…

Rin noted that she was still breathing heavily; and as such, she told herself to calm down. But it was easier said than done; she just felt like she couldn't calm down. Rin knew that she was one step closer to a raging panic attack. Come to think of it, she already was in one.

But no one could even blame the poor girl; she had a tough life. She was constantly doted upon as the Emperor's daughter and she had so many expectations to fulfill – instead, she failed most of them.

"Open your eyes, woman. They are of no consequence to you anymore."

Rin stopped breathing altogether, as she heard an unfamiliar yet soothing, masculine voice… It was filled with disgust and discontent, but Rin had a feeling it wasn't because of her…

_Open your eyes, Rin,_ she thought to herself feverishly.

Rin decided to take this one risk; who would think about harming her now? Who would dare to attempt such a thing? All Rin assumed at this point was that this man had saved her from a terrible fate.

Rin took a deep breath in, before slowly uncovering her ears and opening her eyelids.

She couldn't see much in the dark, yet at the same time, she could see perfectly…

She was at a loss for words; her saviour appeared before her… He had beautiful golden eyes that held no emotion other than bitterness… He had elongated ivory hair that glowed – even brighter than the moonlight, it seemed. His facial features held no emotion; Rin guessed that he was using a mask to hide his true feelings… She then noted that he was wearing a feudal era-style haori and hakama – both of them the same shade of onyx. Yet Rin could pin-point crimson flower designs on the sleeves and the shoulder pads. It had to mean he came from a wealthy family…

Rin gulped, finding it harder to breath at the sight of such masculinity and at such beauty. He had saved her life, she reminded herself. She should thank him.

"Thank you," Rin muttered, her voice sounding hoarse from crying. In truth, she didn't feel all that good about herself: she felt tired – plain and simple. All she wanted now was a nap… and she also wanted to forget this night had even happened at all.

"This Sesshomaru did not do it to save you; there is no honour in attacking a defenseless woman."

So maybe chivalry wasn't dead after all… But still – this man… (A well-proportioned man at that) had saved her life. Even if he did happen to sound like a grump about it. Rin didn't mind that at all. At least he wouldn't hurt her.

"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered, testing the name on her lips. It was the first time she had heard such a beautiful name…

"Stand up, woman. This Sesshomaru will escort you back to your father."

Rin nodded, but again – it was easier said than done. Not only was her entire body exhausted from running, she couldn't find the strength to lift herself up.

And before she knew it, she closed her eyes, falling into a deep slumber… but before she did, she could recall the feeling of strong arms surrounding her petite body…

**:3 :3 :3**

**And so they meet for the first time! ^_^ **

**Forgive me if Sesshomaru tended to be OOC. LOL. I'm doing the best I can… then again, Rin was sort of OOC too. LOL. **

**I know this chapter was kind of cliché, but from now on, this story will be original! XD**

**Please review – I'd LOVE to know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Punishment Is To Endure

**Valentine's Day. The day when people show their love in many different ways… My plan? It consists of watching InuYasha: The Final Act (English Dub, episode 9, in particular…) and many other shows. **

**Have a happy Valentine's Day – I hope you love this update! ^_^**

**Lady Shenzuki**: Okay, I'll be honest with you: cliché stories are cute. XD As for Sesshomaru's smexy outfit, as much as I want to see him in a MIB suit (LOL), he looks best in a traditional kimono. In my opinion, anyway… So, you want to see him in sunglasses? That would be so adorable! I think I'll corporate that into the story sometime… LOL. Thank you for reviewing, I really appreciate it!

**Irivel**: Aww, thank you so much! I hope you like the rest of the story!

**Icegirljenni**: That would be my fantasy; having Sesshomaru carrying me home to his house… (Sighs and looks up into the distance…) Thanks for reviewing!

**DragonOfYang**: Those guys are super creepy, right? And as for the time period, it's in modern times: I guess I forgot to put it in the summary. LOL.

**ChouRan**: Will she be in trouble? Or will she have Sesshomaru cover her? Note that I am not giving any clues: I'm making up questions like you are. XD

**DelSan 13**: I'm a fast writer: the ideas just flow from my awesome brain. ;) Anyways, you'll find out who knows who in the next chapter or so. And yes, he is a Youkai! :D Although he would look handsome as a human. XD

**LadyNadine**: I can't wait to hear from you in the future: you make my day with your awesome reviews!

**Gonzo8886**: Isn't he the sweetest thing ever? He's the epitome of cuteness and handsomeness. LOL. Thanks for your review!

**DaniHime86**: Don't worry, she'll definitely stick up for herself now that she knows she isn't comfortable with the idea of arranged marriage! As for Sesshomaru's feelings on the subject, you'll find out later on… Because I'm evil like that. LOL.

**Smpt**: You are such a sweet person for saying that to me! (I blush when I say this) So thank you very much!

**Gaga overSessy**: There is NO ONE on this Earth that is more honourable than Sesshomaru (at least, in my opinion – which could be debatable). :D I love how you compared this scene to Twilight. LOL. (Note that I wasn't being sarcastic!) Thanks for reviewing!

**Meghanmoo**: They are my OTP in InuYasha (apart from InuKag) so I'm glad that you agree with me on that! XD If you want to know, you must read on… XD

**AngelsXofXHell**: I am very happy that you love my story! It makes me very, very happy to know someone likes my work; you are no exception!

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 3: The Punishment Is To Endure**

Enduring the hour walk back to her mansion was something that Rin couldn't even begin to comprehend. If none of this bad stuff had happened to her… then she wouldn't have felt regret for leaving her parents in the dark about her planned escape that turned out to be a complete failure. Rin was then starting to fully believe that failure was her consequence of breaking the rules. But she only thought that when she was about to die: now that she was safe… she knew that things wouldn't ever be the same again.

There was no doubt that her parents would know about her little escapade into the night life. Rin knew what to expect from her mother, who would merely give her a long talk about honor, responsibility and maturity. No doubt it would be a ploy to make her feel guilty about the whole thing: like she already wasn't.

But Rin was truly afraid of what her father would think of her now; never before had she pulled off such an unexpected stunt like this! She knew he had every right to disown her for behaving like such a disobedient daughter. She knew he had every right to be disappointed in her. But why should she care of what he thought? Because there was a possibility he'd lock her away until her wedding day arrived.

It was perfectly clear to her now that the man – no, the savior from up above – walking slightly in front of her had stopped his movements. Which Rin had to note that he walked as though he were graceful and extremely elegant; but she also mentally scolded herself she couldn't judge him.

It was hard to not make assumptions about a guy she had met (outside of her parents' inner circle of friends) – especially a handsome one at that. Rin couldn't help but blush: she had to calm down. But it was hard, darn it! This guy could be from heaven; he had a certain aura about him that she couldn't place. He had an air of mystery surrounding him and it just made her feel curious.

"Are you a demon?" Rin could not prevent those words from slipping out of her lips; she immediately regretted saying those words because of two things: one – it may imply that she had something against those that were not from the human race and two – she may have disrupted the silent peace that he may have preferred.

Rin could feel herself growing warmer, as he stopped and turned his head to stare into her chocolate orbs. She couldn't place whether or not if he was angry that she asked such a thing.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that. It was rude of me." Rin had a tendency to speed up her words when she felt extremely mortified in a certain situation. It was a habit that Rin wanted desperately to break.

"This one is not offended by your question, mortal. However, I do require your name."

Rin, at that moment in time, wished that she had the same confidence as he did; he had spoke clearly and slow enough for her to understand. It was as though he had been trained to speak in such a superior manner. Which, once again, led Rin to believe that he came from a respectable family.

"M-my name?" Rin had been shocked that he would ask her this; it was like a miniscule part of her soul was extremely pleased that he had taken an interest in her – even if he would bring up such a subject after twenty or so minutes in complete silence.

But then disappointment befell her, as she realized he would most likely only see her as the Emperor's daughter: not the sweet, kind girl that she could be if she had her own way. He would never see her as a girl who had her own hopes and dreams for the future. He would only see her as the heiress who was engaged to some warlord's son.

"My name is Rin Sunuta," Rin replied as pleasant as she possibly could; she wouldn't want to test the patience of this handsome being if she had not answered.

"You are the Emperor's daughter, I presume?" His crysal eyes glowed brilliantly within the dark. To be honest… Rin assumed that by the look he was giving her, he was not interested. Yet he had asked such a question. It was quite confusing.

"What about it?" Rin tried not to sound offended, yet her tone came off as something similar to being annoyed. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to sound so annoyed." Rin had a feeling she would be apologizing for more things later on in their conversation…

"I do not care; I was just curious."

It was as though Rin was pleased with his answer, as she could feel her heartbeat increase exponentially. She was tremendously delighted that this was the first person that she met that actually didn't care about her family.

"So… are you walking me home?"

"Hn."

It appeared that he had no other things to say to her at this moment, so Rin knew that she should keep quiet. She wouldn't push him out of his comfort zone; maybe he wasn't that social.

In sudden realization that Rin was not that much of a talkative person either (when push came to shove), she smiled to herself that they had one thing in common.

Who knew though… maybe the two of them could become closer.

But then again, maybe they wouldn't…

**:3 :3 :3**

This girl was a puzzling creature to this Sesshomaru. She was an enigma – not someone that could be figured out so easily… But did he truly care who she was? No, he did not.

Yet there was a part of him that was captivated by her; she was fairly… adequate in terms of appearances. Sesshomaru could also tell that she was a mortal: a very being that he had vowed to himself to despise and to crush with his boot – if it were his choice.

The human race was disgusting; they were primitive, they were violent and they were certainly weak in every aspect. They held attributes that seemed to be less significant than their own lives. Again, such attributes and morals had made them weak.

If it were up to Sesshomaru, he would exterminate them all: they were nothing but vermin. However, his father – InuTaisho – did not believe in such an act; he himself was the most powerful dog demon on the continent (and most likely the rest of the world) yet he decided to defend humans. Sesshomaru never wanted to be like him. Yet he had followed his father's commands, since he was a professional assassin.

Yet, why did he save this girl? Why would he stick his neck out for some weak, tiny human girl? What was so appealing about her?

In truth, Sesshomaru did not know; nor did he wish to know.

**:3 :3 :3**

The moment that Sesshomaru had escorted her to her home, Rin's heart clenched, as she was deep in thought. She hated to say farewell to a man that had saved her life – she would definitely owe him if she had seen him again.

The question of 'if' soon became to a definite answer of 'never'. There would be positively no chance of meeting this man again… And it had just occurred to Rin that he had not answered her question; but as she took another glance of his appearance, Rin knew it was wise never to ask again. She had a feeling that those magenta markings on his cheeks, his golden eyes and his prolonged immaculate hair were definitely not human traits to inherit.

Though he looked as though he were her personal angel sent from heaven, there was no doubt that he was a demon (ironically enough). It surprised Rin to think of this only now.

"Thank you for bringing me home."

Sesshomaru grunted out, "Hn." It wasn't for the first time that he had decided not to engage in conversation with the girl.

"I don't take this lightly. I really appreciate it."

Both of them knew how honest she truly was, thus, he did not question her on it.

Then, as it was to be expected, Sesshomaru turned around, leaving Rin in front of her humble abode: feeling sorrow and gratefulness.

Oh how she yearned to see him again…

**:3 :3 :3**

Life was not a fairy-tale – Rin told herself multiple times of that fact. Life was just… cruel to those who chose to be cruel and rewarding to those who did something nice for others. Rin could honestly say that life was definitely filled with some unexpected surprises; her engagement definitely counted as one.

A sixteen year old girl should not have to go through such a feat, since it was modern times and not the Warring States era. Rin truly wondered at one point whether if her father truly had a purpose for everything that he did, regarding the traditions of their family.

Rin shook her head, as she made her way through the incredibly ignoramus house that seemed to scream out superiority and wealth; she would never get used to living in such a mansion.

All she could care about right now was getting some sleep…

But deep down, she wanted every reason to see Sesshomaru again… possibly in her dreams.

Wasn't it every girl's fantasy to dream about the most attractive man in existence? Well, Rin wouldn't know about that because she did not have friends – much to her displeasure.

But IF she had ever had the courtesy to meet with Sesshomaru once more… then she'd make one friend.

She could only pray to receive such kindness from the gods; all she ever wanted now, was a friend to be there for her.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Part two of the interaction! I hope you liked it!**

**Please leave a review – I'd love to know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4: Trust Has To Be Earned

**Do you know how hard it is to find the episodes of the Final Act in English online? UGH! I wish it was on Netflix…**

**Aside from my frustration of the day, I must say that I appreciate and value every one of your reviews! They make me so happy! :3**

**ChouRan**: Sesshomaru's father InuTaisho is working for Rin's father and Sesshomaru works under HIS father. Does that sound confusing? Technically, Sesshomaru does work for Rin's father. I should have just said that. LOL.

**Sessrin4everTID**: Aww, thank you so much for reviewing! I am so HAPPY that you love it! :3

**DaniHime86**: Apparently, I am so evil that I worship the devil. Someone told me that, so apparently it's true. No, just kidding. This is the one time I am going to say this: her parents will soon see what their daughter is trying to tell them. Just be patient.

**Nazylen2010**: Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you will enjoy this installment! ^_^

**DaHappyMutt**: OMG! It's my favourite episode too! It shows how that Sesshomaru truly cares… but I also love the episode because of Sesshomaru's mom. LOL. Thanks for reviewing!

**Gaga overSesshy**: To be honest, I've never experienced it. Isn't it amazing that I can truly write something like that? XD I feel like love is never supposed to be understood… it just happens. :P And as for those episodes, I truly ADORE them! Do you happen to love the antics of Sesshy's mommy? XD

**DelSan 13**: You will have to read this chapter to find out! Sesshomaru only appears in my dreams (sadly enough) – no matter how many times I wish he's real! LOL!

**Smpt**: If Sesshomaru asked me my name, I would be fainting. LOL. He's just one of those guys that charm the pants off of most living creatures. XD

**Irivel**: I kind of like writing in his perspective, but it's a little bit difficult to get his opinion on things. Thanks for reviewing!

**Icegirljenni**: Actually, believe it or not, so was mine! I watched Snow White A LOT and I still kind of have that dream. LOL. As for Rin's father, you will have to read on to find out! ^_^ I know it's a vague answer to your question, but please bear with me! XD

**Gonzo8886**: Thank you very much for reviewing once again! :3

**xXBre3akingApartXx**: Thank you so much for reviewing – I really appreciate it! Well, it kind of depends; if I have homework that needs to get done, it has to get done (my first priority is school – always). Then the second factor is motivation (which is almost always never an issue). So I try to update as soon as I can! ^_^

**LadyNadine**: I assure you that it will be quite romantic ;) Thanks for reviewing!

**NekoxUsa**: I read each of your reviews and every one of them made me smile! :D I actually saw Clannad (my favourite characters are Tomoya, Akio {he is so hilarious} and Fuko) and it's one of my fave animes! XD

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 4: Trust Has To Be Earned**

She remembered waking up in a daze; she could feel the sunlight spreading its warmth and comfort throughout her, and she could feel peace the sun had to offer her…

The dazzling, radiant sunshine had also reminded her of a certain pair of eyes, gazing into her own…

Rin could not deny it any longer; she never once stopped thinking about him in her dreams. She could still remember seeing his beautiful lutescent eyes pierce into her mahogany orbs. She could still remember him, holding her… touching her…

Rin's heartbeat vapidly increased, as her cheeks coloured themselves a dainty shade of burgundy. She felt a plethora of emotions hit her, as she constantly revisited each moment in her dream. One moment she felt foolish for thinking such naughty thoughts and one moment later, she knew she did not want the dream to end at all. It was the only place where she could see him again… Sesshomaru.

Rin's heart could not help but flutter as she pondered on the thought of seeing her savior once more. He was truly someone that could gain her attentions; he was an enigma – he was a puzzle for Rin to figure out. He was one of those people that could never be forgotten.

Rin sighed as she pursed her lips; if she closed her eyes one more time, she knew that the first thing that she'd see would be Sesshomaru's well-proportioned contour facial features.

Luckily, a faint knock could be heard and as fate would have it, it was her mother who had come into the room not a moment later.

Rin's heart sank, as she noted the expression on her mother's face; it was a mixture of disappointment and anger – it was clearly shining through her eyes. It was as though she knew what had happened last night… Oh. She was probably here to reprimand her or something.

"Rin, it is time to meet your father; he has something that he wishes to discuss with you," She says coolly, trying not to sound angry nor pleasant that her daughter was still in one piece. It was as though she was trying to maintain a royal disposition. "He expects to see you in twenty minutes."

Rin knew that her mother was furious with her, as she then left her daughter alone to change into her choice of clothing for the day.

Rin hoped that her father would become understanding about this situation; she hoped that he could finally see that he was doing nothing but trapping Rin into a life of which she had no control over. She honestly hoped that he would free her…

But since when did karma grant her all of her hopes and dreams?

**:3 :3 :3**

It was unfortunately ironic that Rin had once felt trapped in her life – completely suffocated by all of the recent attention that her father had given her. It was ironic because at this precise moment, all Rin ever wanted to do was go and hide in a dark corner, where no one could ever find her.

Though Rin had disappointed her family time and time again, there were few times when she truly ever made them furious. Rin was now expecting to deal with the consequences for her poor decision to run out in the dark with no regard of what would happen to her.

To say that she would get lectured would be an understatement; Rin would believe that she would, instead, be locked into a dark, creepy, rat-infested dungeon for all eternity would be a MUCH better prediction for what her dad would do to her.

Could she blame her parents for acting over-protective at this moment? Especially after what had happened last night? No, she supposed she couldn't.

But Rin was also led to think to herself for one moment… how did her parents know? How did they know that she snuck out and nearly got raped or killed by a group of older predators? There was only way they could have known. Someone had to have told them.

The problem was that Rin could not think of anyone who had witnessed the events unfold and then rush off to tell her family… there had been only one person with her when she was escorted back to her home.

Sesshomaru.

"Rin," The superfluous voice of her father echoed within the room, causing Rin to look up suddenly… and into the same eyes she had dreamed about: the very man that she had come to worship since last night…

Rin could have sworn that she would have fainted at that moment; this was not exactly something that she would have come to expect. Her heart was fluttering, her eyes were widened to the point where her eyeballs would bounce out of her sockets and it was getting difficult for her to breathe.

There before her, in a dark suit and tie, was Sesshomaru. Every inch of his body was very well proportioned to the suit, which just made him look good nonetheless.

But the one thing that Rin focused on the most, apart from the magenta stripes on his cheeks and his ivory hair that floated down his back, was his eyes – which stared into her own. Rin couldn't place what emotion… All she knew was that his expression was guarded.

"Father," Rin replied, clearing her throat – trying not to appear as though she knew this man, who stood beside him.

"It has come to my attention that last night was eventful for you."

In other words, Rin could not lie to him; she had to be truthful… but at the same time, Rin felt as though her family did not understand her motives. It was typically confusing, as her heart flip flopped.

"It was, Father."

"I have come so close to losing you, Rin. More times than even you could count," Rin's father gazed empathetically into her dark eyes, as he spoke with such clairvoyance. "Quite frankly, I know that you must have been frightened with the prospect of marrying Ryusei."

Was this the moment when he would declare the arranged marriage a farce? Would he then allow Rin to be forever free – to do whatever she wanted, to do whatever she pleased to her heart's content? But such hopes were foolish; as Rin knew whatever her father planned to say next could not be good.

"Your mother has been worrying about your future, as have I. Which leads to the reason why you are betrothed to Ryusei."

Rin could feel shivers running down her spine… she had a bad feeling about this.

"To be honest, my sweet daughter, there are many complications with life. These complications have led us to think of a safe proposition for you. I cannot explain everything now, but listen to me; if there were any other way to keep you safe… we would not have had you engaged to him."

Rin could sense pain, suffering, despair and utter hopelessness in her father's eyes. It was like for the first time Rin could finally understand her father's feelings; he never wanted to hurt her. He never wanted this life for her… but something had stopped her family from giving her such opportunities. Something terrible was blocking her path for greater things in life… So was her family trying to protect her all of this time? Were they truly concerned for her safety that much that they had to arrange a marriage for her – a husband that would no doubt be a good man?

Rin knew that her father was not lying; how could he be? He was never one to put such an act… he always said things that came straight from the heart.

"Which leads to our next point. May I introduce you to your new bodyguard, Sesshomaru," Rin's father bowed, as his arm swept past him to point in the direction of the man that Rin had an honour to meet the last night.

"B-bodyguard?" Rin could swear her heart was about to caracole out of her chest. What? Why on Earth would she need someone to protect her? Was… her life that much in danger? Did she take a huge risk to show her identity when she 'escaped' out of her house?

But one part of her couldn't help but be delighted that Sesshomaru was to protect her…at least until the wedding between her and Ryusei. Rin mentally shook her head; she should not even think about both men. She could only choose one or the other.

Rin could not see herself grow to love Ryusei; even though he was sort of handsome and he seemed to be a nice guy, appearances could be deceiving. She had the faintest feeling that Ryusei was not the man for her…

Just one glance at Sesshomaru (whose name was like heaven being soulfully tasted on her lips) and her heart would race. She would feel all of these foreign emotions that would light up inside of her like they were fireworks. It was like… something changed within Rin. She felt safe whenever she was with him, for some unfathomable reason. Rin would always feel comfortable in his presence…She couldn't explain it right now, but given some time… maybe she will know these feelings.

"He will be assigned to protect you for the upcoming year before your wedding."

It was only one year until she was to marry Ryusei; it was only one year… until she could never see Sesshomaru again. And then again, there was that feeling: anxiety. Not because she was getting married to a man she never knew (much less loved, much to her surprise) but because she could never see hope before her very eyes again. At that moment, Rin knew that Sesshomaru represented hope for her. Time would spell things out for her very quickly.

The only thing Rin could do at this point for now on was to make the best of it. Maybe she and Sesshomaru will become the best of friends… and deep, deep down in her heart, a glimmer of hope told her that they will become much more than that.

Though Rin told herself she should never believe in such again, she couldn't help but believe it now.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Not the most romantic scene… LOL. **

**But I still hope that you enjoyed it: please leave a review – I'd LOVE to know what you think! ^_^**


	5. Chapter 5: To Walk A Lonely Path

**I only wrote five chapters and I get 54 reviews in total; it is pretty freaking incredible for someone like me! So I have to thank you guys a TON because your support really means a lot! ^_^**

**LadyNadine**: I think you'll be surprised; and you're probably going to go 'AWWW, he is so cute!' Sesshomaru will eventually become the most romantic guy out there in the fanfiction world! XD

**Nazylen2010**: Age difference? Oh ****: I knew I forgot something! XD I guess you'll find out later; thanks for reviewing!

**DelSan 13**: Judging from your reaction, I'm wondering if you are going to have an aneurysm. 0_0 Wouldn't YOU love to have Fluffy as a bodyguard? Because I know I would! ;D

**DaniHime86**: I'm sorry if I'm writing too many cliffhangers; it's not my fault! It's my stupid muse! :P I have to give you brownie points about Sesshy's personality: I also think he'd be very possessive. ;D and HA, HA about the "D-bag who's a creeper in disguise". That is a very classy insult! ^_^ I literally LOL when I read it. Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Smpt**: Correction: Sesshomaru is Rin's Knight in **FLUFFY** armor! XD I know, it won't make sense at first, but you'll learn soon enough. I mean – demons bowing down to humans in terms of protection? Why? LOL.

**Icegirljenni**: Doesn't the thought of Sesshomaru as Rin's boyfriend sound cute and adorable? :3 Hello – there is NO competition: Sesshomaru will always win. Hands down. XD And I don't blame you for thinking that the dad would respond differently: because I contemplated doing that, and I was like – "no, I think I'll have him be reasonable". LOL.

**Irivel**: As far as Rin and Sesshomaru are concerned, yes. Yes they are stuck together! ^_^ Now they have a full year to fall in love… :) Because let's face it – it's the main premise of the story and it's really inevitable. XD

**Gonzo8886**: WHO WOULD NOT CHOOSE SESSHOMARU TO BE THEIR DAUGHTER'S BODYGUARD? Oh yeah – overprotective, paranoid dads who think he's going to seduce their little girl. :P And I did make Rin's daddy have a heart; he has to be realistically reasonable. :D

**SesshyxRin**: To be honest, I cannot speak/write/understand Spanish to save my LIFE, but what I can make of your cute little review is that you want me to continue and update soon! XD thank you SOOOO much for reviewing!

**NekoxUsa**: Happy Valentine's Day to you too! (Throws **fluffy** stuffed animals and rose petals) Isn't it cute that Rin is starting to worship Sesshomaru already? :D I just want them to get together already! And we're only five chapters in to begin with. LOL.

**xXBre3akingXRos3tinXApartXx**: Aww, Lord Fluffy is the cutest name ever! But if he ever heard you use it… 0_0 Happy Valentine's Day! ^_^

**Gaga overSessy**: Love is mysterious, I agree! You never know when it'll strike and you'll never know who you truly fall for. :P Thank you SO, SO much for reviewing!

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 5: To Walk A Lonely Path**

"Are there any further questions?" Kiyotu Sunata proclaimed, as he gazed into his daughter's beautiful eyes, which were filled with confusion and perhaps relief: it was as though Rin had become accustomed to Sesshomaru's presence and Kiyotu could tell that she held some form of attraction to him… As Kiyotu remained clustered in his own thoughts, Rin was left to answer.

Rin felt as though her father had begun to strip away all of her guarded feelings within her cocoa eyes; she felt as though her father could tell what she was thinking… She felt uncomfortable, seeing his heated eyes stare into her own so fiercely, but since he had explained his actions (somewhat), she should not complain.

"No, Father," Rin answered in response, her tone respectful rather than rude, though she was tempted to answer back in that tone… But where was disrespect going to get her now? It would not break the marriage that was to occur between her and Ryusei! It would not give her the life that she had always wanted! Why can Rin not believe that?

"This Sesshomaru believes that she must be hidden well, to not attract danger to herself."

Rin could not help but feel a twinge of hurt; she could not help but feel slightly offended. What did Sesshomaru mean? Was he implying that she was a danger-magnet? Was he implying that she caused nothing but trouble everywhere she went? Well, to be honest, Rin supposed it was true in her home life… she caused her parents more grief than anything else… She was nothing but a disappointment – given away to be as a responsibility for her husband.

"You are correct, Sesshomaru. However, there is another matter to be discussed. Rin, you are to go to Kyoto for one year; Sesshomaru will keep you safe."

Rin widened her eyes in shock, as her heartbeat rapidly pounded against her chest; if she had heard correctly, she was to be sent away… not to her future husband, but to a safe house? Was it in her best interests to lay low? Rin did not know what to make of the news.

"I do not with to see you leave, either, my dear, but it is for your own protection; trust me," Kiyotu explained, as guilt and sorrow clouded his eyes of which Rin could see quite clearly.

Rin always wished to have more freedom, but did she ever wish to leave her home entirely? Deep down in her heart, she knew she didn't. So this was another price she had to pay for wishful thinking…

"When will…" Just thinking about saying goodbye to her family was more difficult to bear. Especially saying farewell to her mother, since she loved her like no other.

"We have made arrangements for you to leave tomorrow."

Rin found it hard to swallow; she was going to leave the next day? It was as if they had been planning this for quite some time… ever since she had been betrothed. But then if that was true, then how come she would need a bodyguard if she had only known him this one day? Again, a foreboding feeling resided within the pits of her stomach: she knew that her father was leaving some things out. But she could not bear to ask of it now – she would have to concentrate on leaving her life here, for a year away in Kyoto.

She was being sent away; her suspicions were correct… she was too much. There was no doubt she would be crying her heart out tonight.

And Rin could not help but notice a pair of fluorescent crysal eyes staring intently on her figure, but she did not dignify his presence with a response. There was no answer she was expected to give.

**:3 :3 :3**

_How could they do this? _Rin thought to herself, as she turned over onto the other side of her futon, completely enamored in the moonlight that was shining through the windows… Sure, her family had adopted some western traditions, but most of all they had followed through on their own. Sure, they could afford to get some windows, but they could not let their precious heiress receive her own right to freedom? Of course not.

A plethora of emotions ran through Rin that night; she was sad, anxious and she was most certainly angry. But that anger would flicker the moment a thought, such as this one came into her head: she deserved everything that she got. That was one part of her that told Rin she could not truly have the life that she always wanted, the one part of her that doubted all of her hopes and dreams for the future. A lot of times, Rin found herself listening to that alter ego and this was one of them.

She was such a horrible daughter, she realized that now. Yet, not for the first time, she was fighting against that belief that was planted into her head (by the alter ego). Rin briefly asked herself if she would get what she wanted. She was at an ultimatum now: yet she couldn't make that choice for herself! It was frustrating to the core…

Rin tried desperately to fall asleep, but found that she couldn't; she was afraid to fall asleep. Because then the night would pass too quickly, leading her to the day when she would say goodbye to her parents.

Her heart was being torn to pieces… She would be alone.

But Sesshomaru will be with her to keep her safe; he would protect her…

That thought soothed Rin immensely, but not enough for her to ease her worries completely.

For one moment, she found herself thinking about him: the man that never left her thoughts for the past couple of days. When he rescued her, she remembered seeing the repulsive look on his face. Like he despised saving a human life. But if he hated humans, then how come he was working for her father? This confused Rin greatly, but she decided not to ponder on it. He saved her life and he vowed to protect it; that was what counted.

Then there was that feeling that lit up within her; Rin yearned for his presence. But why? Why did he affect her like this? It was puzzling, yet Rin was not going to complain. After all, this was the first guy that had made her feel this way… she must make the best of it throughout the year.

And Rin hoped that the year would pass by very slowly; she wanted to take her time to dwell on things. More importantly, she wanted to get to know Sesshomaru better.

Rin sighed, knowing that there was no way she would be able to sleep now; with her heart beating against her chest and the thoughts of Sesshomaru occupying her mind, she couldn't concentrate on anything else.

So she slipped out of her silk blankets and dragged her feet (quietly) across the wooden floor to make her way to her balcony; she could use a little fresh air at this moment.

The moment she walked out onto her balcony, she could feel the rush of cool air wash her face, and her hair flowed gently in the wind.

Rin sighed; entranced by the delightful feelings the air had brought her, as well as the moon shining beautifully in the dark sapphire sky. She admitted she felt better: it was like she felt freer and less trapped within the confinements of her room – of which the room was getting too warm for her tastes.

"Is something troubling you?"

Rin gasped, completely taken by surprise – as her heartbeat fluctuated – by the sudden interruption; she knew who it was, clearly she could recognize the smooth, deep baritone voice anywhere… It must mean that Sesshomaru was out there with her.

"What makes you think that?" Rin replied softly, a small smile tugging on her lips, as she continued to gaze at the stars – which sparkled with such luminance.

"This Sesshomaru can detect your breathing patterns; you were not asleep."

So… Sesshomaru had been checking up on her? Though his heart was in the right place, Rin could not help but think it was a little bit weird… But at least he was not perverted, Rin had to give him that much.

Rin turned around, to meet the gaze of the one named Sesshomaru, who intensely looked into her eyes with such… curiosity. She noted that he had not changed his attire; in fact, nothing was out of place. Not even his lustrous, silver hair that cascaded down his back, nor his rod-straight posture. Was he always on duty? It would explain things…

"There are a lot of days I can't sleep," Rin shrugged her shoulders, while secretly, trying to stay as cool, calm and collected as she could. Yet in his presence, she was starting to get more nervous.

Sesshomaru gave her a skeptical expression, of which Rin had to submit to. It almost appeared that he cared… almost. "Okay, to tell you the truth, I'm just shocked about leaving."

"You have not been on your own before," Sesshomaru stated; Rin could not say that it was a question – more like a demand that needed to be answered quickly.

Rin shook her head. "Nope. Let's just say that I've been cooped up here since I was born. I've never really been allowed to go out much; only with escorts."

Sesshomaru did not know why he was out there… listening to this girl's troubles; he was only there to protect her, that much he was certain. But there was something about this girl that made Sesshomaru's instincts rise. There was something about her that captured his interest.

"You don't have to sit here and listen to my whining; I should just deal with it, right?" Rin chuckled sheepishly.

Whether if it was her innocence, or her soft, angelic voice, that caused him to stay, Sesshomaru did not know. All he knew… was that he could not leave now. "Hn," he replied.

"So… I'm getting married in a year; my parents really know what type of man I like," Rin rolled her eyes, though her smile never disappeared.

However, Sesshomaru was confused: he could smell her anxiety before, yet now she was acting like she was perfectly fine with this idea.

"I felt really mad at first, but I then realized that I'm such a horrible daughter." Rin thought that she was going to embarrass herself, from the way she had been rambling on and on about her life. But… she did need someone to talk to. Even if that person could only listen to what her heart was saying… and it so happened to be Sesshomaru.

"Was there ever a time in your life when you felt like you've been trapped? I know I have. Okay, I'm sorry; I talk too much when I'm nervous and when I'm nervous…"

Rin sighed, as she mentally told herself to calm down.

"Okay. Let's just start over. Would you… be my friend?" Rin asked timidly, as she gazed deeply into Sesshomaru's eyes.

Sesshomaru contemplated whether to dignify this with a response… though this mortal may act annoying, flustered and cheerful, she was like him: they both felt alone at times. Perhaps even trapped. Sesshomaru knew that he was trapped into a life where certain demons, such as the dog demon, were exploited to serve some kind of purpose for human kind. Granted that Sesshomaru's family had once ruled this land, times had changed. Sesshomaru was no longer someone in command; he could only be used to serve others – much to his chagrin. Even his father had been ordered to remain loyal to the Emperor of Japan as his best martial artist. And Sesshomaru had been dragged into that life.

He was never the one to have 'friends'; only allies and mere acquaintances. There was no one in his life that deemed worthy of being close to this Sesshomaru. No one had gained his complete trust.

"Hn."

It was the closest answer that Rin could receive as a yes… and that lit up her entire world; yet she didn't know how much he would mean to her…

"Thank you. Now I should go and get some rest, shouldn't I?"

Even though Sesshomaru had not talked much to her, Rin felt as though the anchor from the bottom of her soul had been lifted; it was like she was free to do whatever she wanted without worries… without any cares in the world.

"Good night," Rin whispered, looking into Sesshomaru's gorgeous eyes one last time, before she went back into her room.

It was at that point when Sesshomaru realized that he would have to risk everything to keep this girl safe.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I hope you guys really enjoyed this chapter! Even MORE bonding time! LOL!**

**Please review – I'd LOVE to know what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6: Farewell To The Old

**If you're wondering where I got the inspiration for this story, I have to say that I've been watching this anime called Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen (betrayal) on ; to be honest, it's quite violent… 0_0 violent enough to make my eyes widen. But the point is, it's about this boy who turns into this ****killer**** assassin (forgive the lame pun) and what not (there's more to it)… The anime itself is sad… even if it's only four episodes. LOL. **

**Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the newest installment! ^_^**

**Lady Shenzuki**: There will be TONS of more interactions between them; after all, this story IS about them! XD

**NekoxUsa**: If only I could be like her; then I would have no trouble getting the man of my dreams. LOL. And you're welcome: rose petals are so pretty, aren't they? :D

**Guest**: Nothing like a good heart-to-heart conversation the night before you get sent away by your parents. :D Oh my god… did I get my setting wrong? Did I actually forget? Oh geez- thanks for pointing that out! ^_^

**DragonofYang**: Aww, thank you! I'm trying to make it slow, but not terribly so. LOL. I don't want to make it too fast; I want the anticipation to build up! As for your little question, you will be finding out soon enough… XD

**Nazylen2010**: I think age is very important; although in this case… it's not essential, you know? Thanks for reviewing!

**DelSan 13**: When I read the first part of your review, I was like this (I'm not even kidding you!) 0_0 You never know what kind of reviews you'll receive… But it kind of made me laugh too! XD

**Icegirljenni**: You have every reason to be suspicious; there DEFINITELY is something very wrong… Are you kidding me? Sesshomaru knows ALL: he just doesn't want to let us know yet. Hehe… thanks for reviewing!

**DaniHime86**: Okay Rin and Sesshomaru: you are going to be alone together for one year – so let's get the romance started! XD But next time – come up with something hilarious; I need comedy in my life. LOL. Thanks for reviewing!

**Smpt**: Who wouldn't want to have a smexy Sesshomaru living with you for a year? (drools as I go off into imagination) Nice use of the word 'articulations' – it makes me want to look it up in the dictionary! XD

**LadyNadine**: What do you mean by "know"? I do not understand the meaning behind it. LOL. Anyways, Sesshomaru and Rin – you better get it on! ^_^

**Rin2013**: Can't wait to hear from you again! ;)

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 6: Farewell To The Old**

Saying farewell to her past life was a lot harder than what you would assume; there were many loose ties that needed to be tied… for good and there were many emotions that would run through you as you did so. One could feel sad, angry, disappointed, hopeless… even entirely shocked that you were to be sent away… this was all that Rin felt that day, as it finally came for her.

Though, Rin could not help but admit that she felt better than she had before; it was as though a huge weight had been lifted from her heart – it was like she felt less conflicted about her entire situation of which she had no control over. She felt less anger toward her parents and she certainly felt less sad about leaving… maybe there was another reason for her to go; maybe it was because her parents wanted to protect her from something sinister. Rin, honestly, did not know when it was the last time she felt so refreshed with this new outlook on life.

It was because of Sesshomaru that she managed to feel this… peaceful. Rin couldn't help but sigh in delight; she could still remember how he had let her vent on and on about her troubles. She could still remember how he did not stop her from doing so.

Rin gazed into the mirror, seeing how her auburn eyes sparkled for the first time with hope… hope for the future. She could even see how her lips were forming a small smile; she looked genuinely cheerful – looking forward what was to come in her future.

She then decided to brush her hair, which was undoubtedly, a tangled mess of deep, dark mahogany locks resembling a bird's nest.

As she proceeded with her task of ridding all of the knots that formed in her hair, she briefly wondered if she should cut it… But Rin did not want to part with it: she wanted to keep her long hair for a while longer at least. Though she thought to herself that she would look like a completely different person if it were cut up to her shoulders…

Enough of this, Rin decided, shaking her head – clearing all of her thoughts. She could not dwell on her appearance, of which she did not notice much of the time; she was not one to constantly look in the mirror – obsessed with her good looks that she had inherited from her family.

Rin was pleased that she had the final choice of her clothing; she wore a simple, short-sleeved, fleecy dress that went down to her knees – of which intricate lace patterns were stitched. She thought that she looked appropriate and with a little lip balm, Rin knew she would be fine for the time being.

However, three knocks (none of them were loud to begin with, yet Rin managed to hear) interrupted her from her recent introduction to peace.

Rin was curious to say the least; who could it be? It was highly unlikely that it was either one of her parents, since they were to wait for her at the airport.

Her heart began to skip a beat as she soon realized who it was… Sesshomaru.

Just the thought of him staying beside her made her smile expand; if there was one person that she learned that could make her happy was Sesshomaru.

"Yes?" Rin called out softly, as she turned around to see the honey eyes that she had come to adore. Her heart skipped another beat, as she continued to gaze at his person.

_He is so handsome,_ Rin could not resist that thought, as she took notice of Sesshomaru's clothes that made him stand out so effortlessly… The kimono that he had chosen to wear was the same ivory shade as her dress, though at the sleeves there were crimson flowers imprinted: most likely those flowers represented a crest from his family.

"We must leave," Sesshomaru spoke out loud, his tone of voice sounding smooth and deep – neither sounding demanding or harsh.

Rin nodded in understanding, before she turned back to face her mirror. "I just have to brush my hair again and then we can leave. Okay?"

She could see his reflection; she could still see him standing there, gazing with what seemed to be little emotion in his eyes… The very eyes that held pain – from what Rin could make of from last night. And she felt – for who knew how long – that she wanted to take away that pain and replace it with something else: happiness. One part of her scolded her for thinking such a foolish thing; she did not even know him that well to judge whatever he deserved to have!

Much to Rin's surprise, he had come behind her, with a hand – palm facing out – reaching out for the brush. Rin's heart was close to pounding against her chest at this rate, as a small blush appeared on her cheeks; he wanted to brush her hair? Rin wouldn't dare complain, but maybe he would quickly eliminate the knots that she could not remove herself. She gave the brush to him with no question, and at some point, her finger chastely touched his skin; an electric current ran through Rin's body, feeling a shiver of delight – something she had never felt before…

Sesshomaru paid no notice to Rin's sudden change of behavior – only proceeded to gently brush her tousled, wavy hair that cascaded down to reach her middle-back.

And for the next few moments… it was a comfortable silence; there were no words that could be easily expressed through their lips – only through their eyes.

Gold met brown on a couple of occasions throughout Rin's grooming. Each and every time, Rin pulled away, as though she had seen something unpleasant, much to Sesshomaru's growing curiosity.

It was at that moment that Rin knew that he would help her; that thought finally settled within her… He would protect her from danger every step of the way and he would help her say goodbye to her old life. It was a rather pleasant feeling and Rin wouldn't have it any other way.

**:3 :3 :3**

"They had sent her," He stated, his baritone filled with lack of emotion, as he kneeled before the very man that held his life in his hands… the very man that had taken him in.

His azure eyes were well adjusted to the darkness that transpired around him. He had always been used to seeing nothing but the abyss cloaks others to blend with it… He had used it as an advantage himself. He had mastered it, through the honourable teachings from his master, and completed every mission; without the darkness, he was vulnerable and weak. Just like he had been when his master discovered him…

"He must have been a desperate man," The ominous presence before him scoffed in disgust. "But no matter; it was a move that I thought he would make. Now he has left himself vulnerable for our attack."

"The Emperor has also Sesshomaru as her protector," The soldier that acted in his stead replied, sounding just as bitter and cold as his master.

"Sesshomaru… the son of the Great Dog General, protecting a mortal woman?" The master, continuing to hide his presence, replied – with a somewhat skeptical tone. "Then again, he is like his father in many ways."

"He is foolish and weak," The assassin agreed with him; Sesshomaru's family had once been considered a threat, but now that both father and son had fallen for the same fate… they were now considered to be easy targets.

"Well, it is time that we see the Emperor. We have much to discuss."

**:3 :3 :3**

Rin told herself to be a strong woman; she was no longer a child… She told herself that big girls do not cry anymore and there were no need for tears. But there was always a part of Rin that could never grow up into someone else; she was, to simply put, a child. A child that needed to be taught a lesson.

Rin found herself crying, but not sobbing, as she walked behind Sesshomaru – who stood proud and tall, unlike her own posture. He managed to put a mask on his face, completely appearing to be anything but fragile; whereas Rin could be read like an open book

Saying goodbye to her family would most likely be harder than she thought…

"Rin," She tilted her head up, glancing to see the source of the feminine voice that called out to her in a gentle manner. It was her mother…

Rin could not help but wonder how her mother was doing with all of this; she was losing her only daughter, who she no doubt loved with all of her heart, for a year. There was no doubt there were tears forming in the brims of her eyelashes, a sign of sadness… Rin knew that she never wanted her mother to be unhappy with her life; she always wanted the best for her, just like how her mom given her wishes of happiness… in her own way, of course.

And beside her mother, was her father – who looked just as forlorn as she.

Rin could not help but push past Sesshomaru to her parents, who immediately embraced her in a desperate hold, as though they were to leave an emotional connection with her.

She did feel safe in her family's arms, she did admit; and it was the first time – that Rin knew of – that her father had attempted to show her any affection since her childhood.

Tears slipped down from Rin's cheeks, not bothering to hide her sorrow any more… she was certain that Sesshomaru was witnessing the entire exchange and for once, she didn't even know if she cared that she lost her cool around him. Then again, the last night they had spent together had changed her perspective of him a little bit. It wasn't the first time she had walls built around herself and someone managed to slip through the cracks… That last night was the proof.

"Bye, Mama," Rin whispered. "Bye, Father."

It was time for her life to morph into something else completely… she hoped for her dear life that things would not turn out to be too complicated for her to deal with; the last thing that Rin needed was something to take her by surprise. And she did not mean the good kind of surprise. Although she could say that Sesshomaru's presence in her life was one of them.

**:3 :3 :3**

**So we get a glimpse of the villain – who seems to be intent on 'talking' with the Emperor. Oh no! Do you guys have any ideas who the villain is? :P**

**Please leave a review – I'd love to know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7: Just A Little Girl

**Is anyone interested in being a beta for me? I'm just asking… only because a certain reviewer said I make a lot of mistakes; honestly, who doesn't? **

**Anyways, thank you goes out to…**

**Irivel**: Wouldn't you love it if Fluffy came to brush your hair? That is the ultimate fantasy for every InuYasha fan girl everywhere… LOL!

**Icegirljenni**: Unfortunately, one of her parents does have to pay the price… And I'm pretty sure Sesshomaru's father is in the loop all about that – so he can just alert Sesshomaru if anything happens.

**DragonofYang**: I can't ever imagine Koga as being the villain – it's just not in his DNA. :P So yes, the villain is OC – I promise you that. Thanks for reviewing!

**NekoxUsa**: Isn't that the truth? XD But yes, Fluffy brushing Rin's hair is one of the cutest scenes I had planned for this story – so keep your eye out for more! :D

**PanUchiha7105**: If you know who the villain is, please share with the class! XD Thanks for reviewing!

**DelSan 13**: I'm so glad you put it in – I just had to laugh; No, Naraku is not the villain (I feel he is being overused in Fan Fiction). But good guess though. And as for the rest of the InuYasha crew, they will be in this story: I can't believe I forgot to mention that.

**DaniHime86**: Yes, the Creepy D-Bag is at it again! XD And you make this sound like it's a TV show: Sesshomaru and Rin's Epic Adventure. I would totally watch that show if it were real… XD

**Smpt**: Thanks so much for reviewing, once again! I'm glad that you liked the twist! ^_^

**Pokemonpuppy23****: **I had a distinct feeling that Rin is OOC, but whatever; just like you said – this is an AU story! XD I would also be safe in Fluffy's arms… or rather, his mokomoko. LOL!

**Guest account**:  AWW! Thank you so much for reviewing; to be honest, I flip-flopped and I couldn't honestly decide who I liked better. Both boys are super gorgeous! Thanks for reviewing!

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 7: Just A Little Girl**

She was just a little girl; she knew that. In fact, she embraced that part of her – the very same self that she had not let go of. It was the part of her that would never undergo a metamorphosis into someone else. Change could be frightening and she certainly knew no different. To be honest, she was scared of change; she wouldn't want to become someone else – there was no way she could transform into someone that may very well terrify her. She only wanted to be known as the girl who was courageous – the girl who was brave to leave her parents. She only wanted to be known as the girl who fought hard for her freedom; the girl that had a determined spirit dwelling inside her.

These thoughts calmed Rin down immensely, both emotionally and physically. Though there were wet tears streaming down her face, as her almond eyes gazed outside of the plane window, Rin felt an unknown sensation within her. Though she would miss her family immensely, she felt she had the strength to get used to the idea of a new life. She couldn't let that thought scare her anymore. Not when she had Sesshomaru by her side, of which she was gracious for his presence.

Rin tilted her head, as well as her eyes, to the left, meeting the crysal gaze piercing into her very soul. Rin didn't feel like saying anything (not that she had any words to say to him); she, honestly, felt comfortable with this silence being shared between them.

Rin wondered why he was observing her. Maybe it was because she was crying? Or was there something on her face? Rin's eyes fell down to her lap. It was not as though she had make-up on and it certainly wasn't like she had food stains from this morning's breakfast cling to her cheeks. Rin was positively sure that he was gawking at her for a different reason.

But what reason could he possibly have to scrutinize her? She scoffed in disbelief if she assumed he thought she was very pretty and couldn't keep his eyes off of her; because Rin thought she was not the prettiest girl there was in this country. She was not conceited into believing something like that.

But what if Sesshomaru was looking at her for the sole purpose of analyzing her – trying to figure her out? Could he be one of those men that could just tell what a girl like her was thinking? Could he just read her like she had a story to tell? Rin had to stop thinking about this; not only did she not have the right to judge him, she was tired, to put it simply. Rin could sure use some rest. Surely it would be a long flight to Kyoto. This option sounded appealing to Rin because all of her thoughts had started to take a toll on her poor brain. When she woke up, she would not feel the stress anymore.

And so Rin slowly closed her eyelids, but not before noticing Sesshomaru's eyes were still on her… _Let's hope that I'll dream of those eyes… _Rin could not help but admit that she liked the attention, though he had not said anything….

As the girl floated off toward the world of dreams, Sesshomaru was left in the world of the living. He did not know why this young girl had captured his attention. He could have looked away, with disinterest and complete boredom, yet he did not.

All of his past, as well as present, thoughts revolved around either her delicious scent or her very appearance. Neither reason sounded quite realistic to this Sesshomaru; it was not possible for someone such as him to let this woman take hold of his thoughts and to replace them with more tantalizing fantasies.

And that smile, that he had seen from her, that had been tossed around many times, was trapped within his mind: it held many messages and Sesshomaru was certain that the girl that he had been ordered to protect had been filled with cheer. Happiness… why would she appear to be happy when she had been introduced to pain? Not that this Sesshomaru cared, but he was curious. Was it because she was grateful for his appearance – was that made her joyful?

This girl had crept into his invulnerable walls around his mind, like a clever thief, and she did not do it intentionally. Sesshomaru briefly wondered whether she would give him more trouble. After all, she was human: she should not be able to make this Sesshomaru think and feel this way. This Sesshomaru did not feel.

Yet that argument was proven to be useless, as another vivid memory appeared before his very eyes; he remembered seeing her in her room… sitting impatiently in front of her large mirror, gazing into his golden eyes, while trying to brush her dark mane… Sesshomaru remembered her asking for help and so he had complied – only because if she did not hurry, they would be late arriving to the airport.

Once or twice, his claws – that were sharp and had the ability to kill without remorse – brushed against her locks of dark hair, which were smooth and silky. If Sesshomaru had not been careful with her, he could have torn her scalp… but he had been delicate.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, wanting to get rid of these pestering thoughts that bothered his brain. He wished for a distraction that could pull him out of these pointless rationalizations.

She was only someone he had to protect.

Sesshomaru did not know how long it had been, but to him, it felt as though a few seconds had passed before his cell phone (of which he only used for his duties) rang.

Sesshomaru clicked the talk symbol on his iPhone, and then answered with a dreary greeting, "What is it?" There was no need to say 'greetings' or 'hello', in Sesshomaru's mind; not if there were more important things that needed to be discussed.

"You sound quite emphatic, my son," came the smooth baritone that could only belong to his father, Inutaisho. "Is it because you are in need of a woman's touch?" Inutaisho, unlike Sesshomaru, had always been one to tease; though there were times when his seriousness could be displayed on the battlefield. That was when his personality switched from a joking, yet kind and wise father to a fierce warrior with anger flowing through his veins.

"Father, this one wishes to know why you have called," Sesshomaru stated frankly.

"I have called you, Sesshomaru, because there are things we need to talk about. Mainly the Emperor's daughter."

"What about her?" Sesshomaru replied, his tone of voice neutral, showing no signs of interest.

"She needs to be kept by your side at all times. There are many who work for Takemaru who wish to capture Miss Rin; one would never know who they are until the time comes."

Sesshomaru narrowed his gold eyes as his father spoke to him with the same disgust as Sesshomaru felt now. Takemaru was a ruthless immortal, who only gained that wish through the Shikon Jewel, who continuously exploited young girls for prostitution. Many questioned his competency, considering that Takemaru had once competed with Inutaisho to win over the fair Izayoi's heart. As a result, he had spent years trying to seek revenge and now he had come close to doing so… Takemaru was the enemy that they had to look out for most of all – in these times. After all, he had evaded capture from the police, as well as the government.

"Takemaru cannot fool this Sesshomaru so easily."

Inutaisho sighed heavily, still taken by surprise by Sesshomaru's arrogance; he was so much like his mother, he so believed… Inutaisho had always hoped that a woman would capture Sesshomaru's heart, but to no avail, Sesshomaru was very much a bachelor. He did not wish for him to be alone…

"Do not act carelessly, son. You must be careful either case."

"This Sesshomaru does not need to hear this."

"And does this Inutaisho need to hear you speak in third person?"

If there was one trait that Sesshomaru did not inherit from his father, it was his attitude. His younger half-brother InuYasha, the product of Inutaisho and his human wife Izayoi, was the one fortunate enough to receive such a gift.

"The point is, Sesshomaru, this job is very important. Rin's life is at stake, as well as her family."

Sesshomaru could not help but glance at the sleeping girl, who appeared to be peaceful and innocent… "Nothing will happen to the girl, Father."

It was the closest to a promise that anyone could ever manage to retrieve from Sesshomaru. And if one were to know him well enough, they would know that he was never one to break a promise.

But no one knew him well enough to know that he would do so much more…

**:3 :3 :3**

"You know what you have to do," the man spoke through the phone, his tone radiating superiority and masochism. If one witness heard his voice, they would have no choice but to be frightened. He was not someone to be trifled with. Unless you wanted to die excruciatingly.

"Yes, sir," another figure replied eagerly; he was always the one to believe that his boss expected perfection and the results from this latest mission shouldn't be any less.

He could not afford to disobey his master; his fate was not meant to be death – he was meant to do so much more… He was given this opportunity to destroy the dog demon and he would not waste it. He would make them see that trust could only get you hurt. Letting down your guard meant certain death.

The other man on the phone hung up, leaving this person to do what he did best.

At first he thought it would have been difficult, getting aboard the private plane, but it was astonishing to know that no one dared to ask who he was; considering that the safety of the pompous Emperor's daughter was more important than the identity of a stranger. It was quite ironic that he would be the one sending this plane straight to the burning fires of hell…. And no one would have stopped him from accomplishing that feat.

It was time to crash this plane… and to kill those who ride within it.

**:3 :3 :3**

The air was astonishingly cool upon her peachy skin, which caused her to shiver. As much as she enjoyed the feel of wind brush against her skin, Rin much preferred the protective embrace of the sun that provided her warmth, as well as comfort. Though Rin could not complain, as she then felt something warm being covered on top of her – shielding her from the blast of frosty air.

Rin lethargically opened her eyes to see a grey blanket thrown over her, as well as the sight of Sesshomaru sitting across from her with his arms crossed and appeared to be deep in thought.

"Thanks," Rin whispered softly, knowing for certain that Sesshomaru would have heard her; after all, he was a demon with abilities that were far better than a human's.

Sesshomaru nodded in acknowledgement, but did not give her a direct answer. In truth, it wasn't as though Rin minded at all: if he was uncomfortable with her praise of thanks, then she should always expect his reply to come in the form of actions. After all, they did speak louder than words.

Chocolate continued to gaze with gratitude into the golden eyes of which they belonged to Sesshomaru.

Rin knew that she had yet to actually thank him for saving her life, those couple of nights ago. But at this present moment, silence – albeit a little uncomfortable – was enough for the both of them. However, neither of them expected that silence to be broken by a gunshot.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Uh oh; looks like Sesshomaru and Rin are in trouble!**

**I hope you guys liked this chapter: and please leave a review – I'd love to know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8: Our Worlds Collide

**I have a question for you guys before we start: I feel like the chapters are a little too short… should I lengthen them? :P**

**DragonofYang**: Ha! I bet you weren't expecting the main villain to be Takemaru, weren't you? (He's not the one who is a master assassin: he has someone else working for him… 0_0)

**Icecreamapparition**: Wow, I have read your review and you had made my day – honestly; I truly didn't mean to make Rin so 'obedient' and not really rebellious as to why she was put in that situation. And you do have a good point about Sesshomaru: he does have his reasons for sticking by his father's side in terms of being an assassin. You'll find out later on! XD Don't you think he looks HOT in black? Thank you SO, SO much for reviewing!

**Guest account**: You made me smile with your review – I appreciate it! :D Honestly, I love InuYasha because he's so gruff and angry (really turns me on. LOL!) But Sesshomaru is so calm and collected and coveted. I hate choosing between two brothers! XD

**Smpt**: Well, I'm SORRY! I can't help it if I can't think of any good endings for the chapter! But to be honest, that line was on purpose. XD Thanks for reviewing!

**Angel lovette**: Thank you so much for reviewing – I really appreciate it! :3

**NekoxUsa**: I read your Rurouni Kenshin fic, by the way, and it totally made me sad! You are such a good person, offering to be my beta. You deserve to have this commission: Greatest Official Dictator for life. AKA – GOD! Thanks for reviewing!

**Nazylen2010**: Thank you so much for reviewing: it makes my day a little bit brighter! ^_^

**Icegirljenni**: Nope – not Rin's parents. (Shakes head, with pursed lips) But Lord Fluffy and Rin are in trouble! OH NO! It's enough to make me go in cardiac arrest just thinking about it…

**DaniHime86**: I can always tell you have a mouthful to say; LOL! And yes – shit is about to get real. XD And to tell you the truth, the reason why I love that episode so much is because of Sesshomaru and Rin; though Fluffy's mommy takes the cake in best cameo appearance. XD

**Rin2013**: :D

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 8: Our Worlds Collide Through Darkened Skies**

"What's happening?" Rin cried out, feeling entirely overwhelmed about the current event; not only was Rin confused, but she was terrified, after hearing a cacophonous bang – which came from the cockpit. Needless to say, she could not keep calm. Her heart was triturating against her chest, possibly even faster than the speed of light. At the moment, Rin found it difficult to breathe, as her chestnut eyes gazed anxiously into golden eyes. Rin shivered, noting the expression on Sesshomaru's face; though she had to rationalize that it was the first time she had seen him with so much… emotion. Rin could tell that his aura was radiating anger, and she could also see how his amber eyes glowed with just as much hatred.

Yet for some unfathomable reason, Rin was not scared of his appearance, nor was she scared of Sesshomaru in general. Was it because she thought of him as a close acquaintance? Was it because she trusted him? Though she knew very little about him, Rin could honestly say that she did trust her life with him. However, a miniscule part of her told her that he was not the type of man that would break a promise, or in this case, disobeying an order.

But the thought of knowing she could feel safe with him was not enough to help Rin calm down; she knew that her breathing had become erratic and she felt like she was going to black out. Rin could even feel stomach bile rise up through her throat, but she did not actually throw up any of her stomach contents.

Rin could even feel her head starting to throb (painfully and slowly), causing her to groan in frustration and in agony. When it all came down to it, she would rather prefer receiving migraines than dying…

"Stay here," Sesshomaru's voice cut through her very soul, the tone of her voice sounding, if not greater than or equal to, enraged as he appeared to be.

Rin instinctively knew better than to question his order; she knew that he was deadly serious. However, before she could reply, he already stood up then proceeded to walk to the cockpit.

_Just take deep breaths Rin, everything is going to be fine!_ She told herself, making an effort to sound convincing and harmonious. But the problem was, she felt like she could not breathe: it was as though her lungs were collapsing from within.

Rin bent her knees, carefully placed her arms on top of them, and laid her forehead to rest on them. She knew that no matter how bad the situation could get, she just had to stay calm.

As long as Sesshomaru was there with her, she had nothing to worry about… but that thought lacked conviction. Was she that desperate to put her faith in him and only him? It made her sound weak, helpless and useless, as much as she hated to admit that.

And ever since she had been attacked by those unruly men, Rin did not like the thought of being any of those things. But she could not do anything about her present situation… except to follow Sesshomaru to the cockpit. Granted that she was a little bit tempted to do so, her self-conscience repeatedly shouted in her head that she had to trust Sesshomaru to take care of things. But if there had been a problem…

Rin shuddered, as though she had been struck by something ice-cold. There was no doubt whatsoever that Sesshomaru could handle whatever lay dormant in the cockpit.

But this did not stop Rin from worrying for his welfare…

**:3 :3 :3**

Sesshomaru could smell her… he could smell her fear and he could smell her anxieties for him. Truth be told, it was puzzling, but he could not dwell on that fact now. Nor could he dwell on the fact that her scent itself was captivating…

No… He could not fathom the idea that a human girl's scent was appealing to him. Sesshomaru did not succumb to the seduction of women, as he had no time for such foolish things. Though his father kept pestering him about 'Falling in love' (a ridiculous concept), 'Marriage' (something only mortals did – Sesshomaru would not stoop so low) and 'Starting a family' (Sesshomaru realized that he would need heirs, but he would not need to mate with someone that he holds dear). Sesshomaru ignored most of his father's speeches. He had always thought that love was for the weak, as his father proved to him, when he had taken a human woman for a mate. Inutaisho had lost his position as the most terrifying dog demon in Japan, and because of his actions, more and more humans – of which they were obsessed with power and money – started to revolt.

The moment Sesshomaru heard the gun-shot, he knew what had happened, though telling his charge was not something that he planned to do; the fact that she was not concerned about her own safety was confusing, but Sesshomaru rationalized that she was not a selfish girl as he had preconceived from before…

He also knew that there was an unwanted guest on this plane; he could smell it. Yes, the scent was a human's… and Sesshomaru could also detect the scent of blood – which reeked like copper… There was no doubt that the human was sent to kill them, or at least to put a fright into the girl. This Sesshomaru could not be scared so easily.

As Sesshomaru entered the cockpit, he noted that the human (dressed in a black leather jacket and pants) attacked him with such speed that Sesshomaru almost did not see coming. He simply dodged the attack, and grabbed the man by the neck, as he harshly threw him up against the wall. He would be damned if he got out of this plane alive…

"Who sent you?" Sesshomaru's voice was icy, of which there was no compassion and no mercy; he was merely angry, that this human somehow managed to penetrate his defences, to appear on this plane without a trace…

The human said nothing, but spat dark, crimson blood onto Sesshomaru's clothes. The determination in the human's eyes was surprising, but it would not save him.

"Who sent you?" Sesshomaru repeated, tightening his hold on the man's neck – cutting him off from circulation. But not enough for him to die instantly.

"The woman… she will die… whether if you're there to save her or not…" The man cackled in amusement, noting how unimpressed Sesshomaru was with his lack of motivation to co-operate with his interrogation. "And hell will rise," the human assassin's eyes lit up with excitement.

"This Sesshomaru wishes to know who had sent you. Was it Takemaru?" Sesshomaru narrowed his amber eyes in detest, as he stared coldly into the man that attempted to kill Rin.

The man laughed - his tone similar to condescension. "You are a fool… You do not know who you are looking for…yet he is right in front of you."

This Sesshomaru had quite enough of these foolish riddles. It was quite clear that this man had some sense of honour and loyalty to his master, thus protecting his identity. However his death would be inevitable…

"But if he chooses not to kill her, then she'll become his woman…" The man was a lunatic… he could not be allowed to live.

Sesshomaru's claws quickly penetrated through the man's abdomen – his arm tearing straight through; this attack would ensure that this man would not survive. Sesshomaru quickly pulled back his arm, covered with blood, letting the man sink to the floor.

However, the pilots were dead as well, which could only mean that the plane would crash. But it was not as though Sesshomaru would fall to his death, nor would he allow his charge to die.

His thoughts, for some unfathomable reason, strayed back to that girl… Why was she not afraid of him? Why would she care about what happened to him? She was different… there was something about her that intrigued him to some extent. She had let him brush her hair… she had treated him as though she were a close friend, since she had not displayed any hostility. She did not treat him any less than an equal: she did not act as though she were high and mighty.

Sesshomaru was prepared to tell the girl that they were to leave the plane, but it seemed as though she had come to him. He could feel her mahogany gaze on him, before she glanced at the carcass on the floor.

He turned around to gaze with the same emotionless façade that he normally showed… What point was there to show anger, now? His charge was safe…

**:3 :3 :3**

Rin hardly expected him to say anything… What was there to say? That she was safe now? That he had taken care of the problem?

When Rin opened the door, she did not expect to see two of the pilots deceased (she could feel her skin pale and her stomach clench at the sight of blood and the stains of the liquid imprinted on the floor) nor did she expect to see Sesshomaru appear so unaffected by the turn of events. Rin swallowed the bile that was sure to pour out of her lips. Rin knew that Sesshomaru was probably used to assignments like this; he had killed before…not to mention seeing the immense amount of blood… Rin was not exactly afraid to see Sesshomaru's arm stained with the man's blood. All she knew was that deep down, she was glad that Sesshomaru was alright. But it wouldn't have hurt to ask…

Although, there was a little bit of blood on his cheek as well. Before either of them knew it, Rin quickly reached up – on her tippy toes – and used her thumb to gently wipe away the crimson blood. She blushed, as she pulled back quickly, feeling somewhat embarrassed that she had not asked for his permission. Yet she noticed he did not chastise her; he merely gazed into her eyes; with an emotion that Rin could not place.

Rin knew she could not stay in this room any longer… not when she was feeling weak in the knees. Rin widened her eyes, appearing to be nauseated; she wished she could get used to the sight of blood, but it had a way of scaring her. Especially in her dreams…

Rin could feel darkness taking over her, as she fell into the arms of the one she called a saviour… and the last thing she remembered was seeing his eyes gaze into her own. Rin wondered if he looked… worried? Anxious? Desperate? Concerned? But she could not answer her own question, as she fell into the abyss of unconsciousness.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Where are you taking me?" Kiyotu Sunata asked with an angry tone, frustrated that he had yet to receive any relevant answers. Though deep down, in his heart, Kiyotu had a distinct feeling why he had been taken and who he was being taken to… Shivers ran down the Emperor's spine as a plethora of emotions ran through his mind. Guilt had been the one to make an appearance more so than the anger and sorrow he had felt… He felt guilty for not only sending his daughter away, but also that he had betrothed her to… No. That was a mistake, and he could only see it now. Though he did make the right choice of sending her away… The danger that he had got himself into – without even fully realizing it until now – was passed unto his daughter as well. Kiyotu did not want anything to happen to Rin; she was his only daughter and he had to protect her.

One of the guards that were escorting Kiyotu sneered, in condescension. "Takemaru wanted to see you, Emperor. That is where we are taking you."

Once Kiyotu heard the name Takemaru, he could not help but stay compliant; he thought that he would have been escorted to see** him**, but not Takemaru… Fear gripped his heart, as it began to pound against his chest.

Takemaru was as incompetent as they say; rumours had been going around that he had become obsessed with power and 'Justice'. He had a centuries-old grudge, or rather extreme prejudice, against demons and wanted nothing better to rid the world of them. Not only Takemaru wanted this, he was also in charge of a prostitution ring across the country, though his reasons for doing this were unknown.

"Why would he want to see me?" The Emperor asked with disdain, appearing to be cool and collected; appearing to be the one in control…

Unfortunately, the guard went back to being silent, as though he had just remembered he was not supposed to associate with the Emperor.

But even then the Emperor knew that he will find out…

**:3 :3 :3**

"We have brought the Emperor as you wished, my Lord," One guard proclaimed, as they bowed their allegiance toward the man who was hidden in the darkness. The Emperor, however, said nothing, but narrowed his eyes as he waited to hear Takemaru's voice.

"You are dismissed, gentleman." Takemaru waved them off, before he turned around to meet the glare coming from the Emperor of Japan.

Takemaru appeared to be just as frightening as most people believed he was. Of course, there were rumours that implied that Takemaru had used the sacred Shikon Jewel of Four Souls to wish for immortality; yet, what most people do not realize, was that the Jewel did not grant their wish – it only granted the correct one.

Takemaru's dark burgundy eyes glowed with anger, the moment the guards left. "Emperor, I presume you know why I have called you here."

Kiyotu stood idle, not daring to move, yet he was not afraid to stare back with such ferocious audacity. "I do not know why your men have captured me, nor do I know why your men have captured my wife."

Takemaru smirked, before he moved from the shadows and into the light. Dressed in a simple suit and tie, with his ember hair tied back in a high ponytail, one would assume that he was a powerful businessman. "All will be explained to you in good time. Although I wish to know why you have not accepted my deal."

Kiyotu did not hesitate to reply, "It is because you are unworthy of receiving my title; it is also because you are not my heir."

"Ah, yes, speaking of which…" Takemaru trailed off, as his fingers brushed against his cheek, as though he was contemplating or he was in deep thought. "You may want to reconsider the deal."

"Threatening to kill my family if you do not receive the throne is not a deal," Kiyotu snapped, his tone full of anger.

"You puzzle me, Emperor. You and your family have supported the paradigm of demons walking freely on this Earth. Have you forgotten that they could kill you easily? Have you forgotten that they could take away your authority? If you fail to see this, then let me use your fair daughter Rin as an example."

Kiyotu's eyes widened in shock the moment Takemaru said his daughter's name. "What are you planning to do?"

"If you fail to co-operate with me, then your daughter will die, as well as your wife."

**:3 :3 :3**

"Master Takemaru, you have summoned me," the assassin stated, as he kneeled down to the ground, proving his loyalty once again.

"Yes. I have new orders for you. Keep the Emperor locked in the cell; and you may release his wife. For now." Takemaru was never one to proclaim his plans for the world, until the opportune moment arrived.

"And what about the girl?" The assassin asked, although he did not sound curious.

Takemaru grinned. "I believe you already know this part of the plan, my apprentice." There was no need to repeat past discussions, although he did not blame his apprentice for wanting to know the truth…

"Does the Emperor know about the attack?"

"If he fails to please me, then I will tell him that his daughter will pay the price. If it comes down to it, I suppose."

**:3 :3 :3**

**Takemaru's the main villain – da… da… DAAAAAAA! (Flips off shocking music)**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review – because I'd love to know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9: Knowledge Is Power

**For the remainder of the story, do expect me to reply to your reviews through PM; I always had a feeling that I'll save time by doing it! But I will give a shout out to those who are guests on this site. **

**So I hope you guys will enjoy this extra long chapter! :3**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 9: Knowledge Is Power**

After enduring the darkness of unconsciousness, _she had to wake up… _There was no reason for her to remain sleeping; her body was insisting that she had gotten all of the rest that she had needed. She just needed to move… But at the same time, Rin felt plain exhaustion, as though it was a result from the adrenaline running through her veins from the previous time she had been awake.

Which led her to vividly picture the last event that she remembered; Rin knew that the cause of her blackout… was that someone had attacked the plane, killed the pilots and died at the hands of Sesshomaru. Rin could still picture the sight of crimson blood on his claws and small shivers ran down her spine. She hadn't been sure if she was scared at the sight of that or if it was because she was worried about Sesshomaru's welfare. Or maybe it was both…

Rin could also feel his strong arms envelop her, as she fell into them; it was almost like he was her angel, keeping her safe from harm. If she wanted to be completely honest with herself, she felt like the contours of her body were made to mould into Sesshomaru's chiselled body: it felt **right**…

_It sounds like you're in love with the guy,_ Rin told herself. Honestly, there was no point in denying how much she had come to 'like' him, but she was not even sure that she was in 'love' with him. And if she did not know what the feeling of being in love was like, she probably wasn't falling head over heals.

_You should probably thank him for saving your life again,_ another part of Rin told her with a scolding tone. _You probably won't be so lucky next time… _The possibility of putting herself in danger in the future was enough to put Rin in nerves. She knew she did not want to be a burden to Sesshomaru; she would not be surprised if he thought she was a lot of trouble to look after.

Rin had come to a conclusion, much to her secret alter-ego's satisfaction. She would apologize dearly to Sesshomaru and maybe she could find a way to make it up to him, but would he accept her offer of friendship? Rin could tell straight off the bat that he was mysterious and silent – not one for much talking unless he had something to say. As much as Rin did appreciate he did take his job seriously, she did not want the remainder of her year to be spent with someone who did not especially have any friendly feelings for her. Rin knew that she had to have at least one friend before she got married and Sesshomaru had to fit the bill perfectly. And somehow, the thought of spending the rest of the year with only Sesshomaru was a little nerve-wrecking. There was a doubting part of Rin that told her that nothing inappropriate would occur between them.

Rin did not want to think about this; there were far more important things to worry about, as of right now.

Rin slowly opened her chestnut eyes and not a minute too soon did she feel confusion wash over her. Where was she?

She appeared to be resting in someone's bedroom; the walls were painted a light, creamy shade of pink, the ceiling was ivory yet it matched the bedroom walls completely and sunlight reflected through the windows, giving the entire room a cheerful demeanor. Rin noticed there was a mahogany desk in the corner, a wardrobe perpendicular to the futon Rin was resting on and a large mirror in the right hand corner. If the cotton candy coloured curtains were not indication enough, Rin knew that this may be a girl's room. Although she assumed that it was not used much, since the entire room was clean and practically nothing lay dormant in it aside from the furniture.

Rin swallowed, as her eyes took in every detail within the room, she noticed that Sesshomaru had sat on the floor across the room, keeping his distance. He gazed into her eyes with anger and not once did he try to look away from her. Rin did not know if she should feel intimidated by his heated stare or if she should ask him what was wrong.

Rin noted how her heart jumped every couple of beats, as her stomach started to being overcome with nerves, while she looked deeply into Sesshomaru's amber eyes.

"Where am I?" Rin asked, and she then noted that her throat was parched – causing her to sound hoarse. But she was also curious as to how long she had been asleep, as she heard her stomach grumble. Yet she pretended that her main concern was the fact that she had been taken to an unknown destination.

"It is of none of your concern; you are safe," Sesshomaru replied, using his rich, smooth baritone, to attempt to convince Rin of this fact.

To be honest, Rin could not help but believe his words – even though he had not answered her question (much to her personal dismay). Rin knew he would not break his word on keeping her safe, seeing that no actual physical harm had come to her. But the fact that he could only see her as a job kind of made Rin feel a little offended.

"That's great and all, but could you please tell me where we are?" Although Rin intended to behave polite in his presence, considering that he did save her life, but the tone of her voice was not.

"If you must know, this Sesshomaru knows an ally that tolerates humans in his household," Sesshomaru snapped, his tone full of anger. Yet, Rin did not know whether or not if he was directing said anger toward her. Rin pursed her lips, as she studied Sesshomaru's expression fully.

"So I'm in some demon's house?" Rin wanted this to be clarified; in her opinion, it would be best to get a general understanding about what happened and so forth. It was at this time that she decided she wanted to sit up. She tried to move her body but a sharp pain prevented her – temporarily – from moving.

It was at this point in time that Rin noticed her head was a little sore and her legs were extremely numb. Just what had happened anyway? How long had she been out?

"Do not move; you have yet to recover," Sesshomaru warned her, not once raising his voice.

"Recover from what?" Rin grunted, as she quickly sat up – deciding it would be best to do that before the pain would try to stop her again. "That little fiasco on the plane? I'm fine. But who was that man?" Rin's eyes reflected worry and curiosity.

"You need not concern yourself with that."

Was he trying to protect her? As much as Rin would have loved that thought, she also sort of guessed that it probably didn't have anything to do with her and maybe that man had come for Sesshomaru. But it did not matter though; Rin could have died from that plane crash IF Sesshomaru had not been there to save her.

Rin wondered if there would be other occurrences when someone would attempt to attack either one of them; and Rin desperately wanted to know why someone would be trying to kill her… was this why her parents sent her away? Because someone wanted her dead? It would make sense that she had protection.

"I think I have every right to be concerned. I almost died, after all," Rin replied, with a solemn tone to her voice. But she noticed the way Sesshomaru's eyes gazed into her own, and she continued, "But I didn't. So thank you."

Sesshomaru did not give her an answer, but he did acknowledge it by nodding his head. Rin chose that moment to look away from him, as she went back to her previous thoughts. But a specific line that Sesshomaru told her struck her in the head; he knew an ally that tolerated humans. Rin, not for the first time, had to assume that Sesshomaru knew someone that didn't mind humans – maybe he was a demon. Somehow, the thought of Sesshomaru being in the company of humans didn't quite make sense to her. Maybe he made it clear that out of the two people, Sesshomaru despised them and his 'ally' didn't.

"Can I ask you something?" Rin blurted out loud, as she rapidly turned her head around to meet Sesshomaru's stone cold, scrutinizing gaze. "Do you hate humans?"

"Why do you ask this?" Rin could see how his crystal eyes darkened, as though she had brought up a subject that he did not wish to talk about. Even his voice sounded bitter and distrustful.

"I'm just curious. I mean, when you said that your ally tolerated us humans, you made him sound like he was foolish to think that way about us." If Sesshomaru truly detested humans, he would have a reason for it.

"This Sesshomaru does not need to explain himself to you." Rin couldn't help but feel a little frightened, as he gave her the most piercing glare that she had not seen from him before. But it was at that moment when Rin saw something hidden underneath his eyes: pain.

"I'm sorry that I asked," Rin mumbled before another question slipped past her lips, "but if you do hate humans, do you hate me?" This question surprised Rin in many ways. Why would she care about what Sesshomaru thought about her? Because she knew that she wanted him to be her friend – which had been decided already. "Or do you just hate being around me?"

Rin had never been born a people pleaser, although there were times when she regretted doing certain things that ashamed her family immensely. This was what surprised Rin the most about what she had just said. She shouldn't care about what other people thought about her; but Sesshomaru just so happened to make her change that one aspect of herself.

And they hadn't known each other long enough for Rin to make her think this…

"Okay, I understand." That was what Rin said, trying to sound unaffected by Sesshomaru's cold attitude (which normally wouldn't affect her in any way), but deep down, for some stupid reason, she was affected. Maybe it was the part of her that wanted to be friends with this guy that had been affected. Maybe that part of her was upset that Sesshomaru was cold and ruthless; with absolutely no desire to befriend human girls.

Should she really become friends with someone like Sesshomaru? Rin knew nothing about him; his age was impossible to determine unless he told her it himself. He despises humans (that much was clear) and he would not say why.

But somehow, that didn't make Rin feel like she should back down. After all, she did have a year before her wedding… and of course the thought of that made her want to break down in hives.

**:3 :3 :3**

Sesshomaru could not get close to this woman; he could not afford to complicate things… His mere mission was to protect her and nothing else was top priority. Yet she had been insisting upon herself that she wanted to be his acquaintance. Surely, she was foolish for thinking such a ridiculous notion.

"_But if you do hate humans, do you hate me? Or do you hate being around me?" _ Sesshomaru did not know why these words bothered him so much, but they pestered him continuously.

Not only did those words bother him, but so did her scent – that was always wrapped around his nose and never intended to leave him be. And to make things sound worse, his beast found it most attractive, as well as the girl herself. Sesshomaru had not been prepared for that sort of reaction. Nor was he prepared to witness the girl crying, or at least she looked as though she were about to.

The question that he had always been planning to ask her; was why she was not afraid of him? Yet he held back… only because he remembered his mantra at the very last moment. He could never grow close to her; he could not have any attachments, much less a human girl being by his side. Yet it was not his fault that he had been roped into a life of servitude to the Emperor. It was not his fault that the dog demons had become subservient… Sesshomaru knew he could have answered her question when she spoke it. But instead, he stayed silent.

Then there was the fact that he had been angry, to say the least, for the past couple of days. Several reasons included: the girl was knocked cold for that time because of the injuries that had resulted from embracing her to his chest too tightly. Humans were considerably weak and fragile.

The sight of her in such a state angered him.

But the sight of her appearing to be terrified… he felt much more than just anger. Even though he wanted her to be afraid, so she could keep her distance from him, there was a small part of him (very miniscule, in fact) that disliked it. Sesshomaru did not know why this was…

He could still remember her pale expression the moment she had entered the cockpit… He could still remember how astonished – yet far from being afraid – she was when she saw the blood on his claws. It did not occur to Sesshomaru that she had been scared for him and not OF him. Not until she asked him if he hated being around her; he could then tell that she was interested in developing a relationship with him.

Sesshomaru would not allow that to happen. He would only guard her, under strict orders from the Emperor, but nothing more.

The other reason why Sesshomaru was not happy with the turn of events was that he had come to the one person that he never thought he would count as an 'ally'. It was the one person that he had hated…

It was his half-brother.

**:3 :3 :3**

"_What the hell do you want?" _

_The moment he opened the door, he was not pleased, as his overall appearance had not changed over the years. Sesshomaru glared, as he held the unconscious woman in his arms, but stayed silent. "This Sesshomaru demands for you to prepare a room for the girl." This had not been a request: it had been a demand, made urgent by the firstborn son of Inutaisho. _

_The man standing before him snorted, as he crossed his arms over his chest. His golden eyes flickered from his elder brother to the girl, somewhat curious as to what mess Sesshomaru had gotten himself into. _

"_It's no fucking concern of mine what happens to her," InuYasha, the second born son of Inutaisho, stated with a gruff tone. "I have enough fucking problems on my plate, Sesshomaru."_

_Sesshomaru narrowed his crystal eyes, displeased with the response that his impudent brother had given him. _

_The rain was pelting harder and the girl could develop sickness if she did not receive proper hospitality. _

_However, before Sesshomaru could contemplate on another way to force his way into his younger brother's house, a brunette woman appeared: dressed in lacy pyjamas. _

"_What happened to her? Is she alright?" The girl, whose mahogany eyes glowed with concern, asked with a polite tone, as she gazed into Sesshomaru's eyes. _

"_She needs your assistance," Sesshomaru stated. He was never one to beg for help, and even his bastard half-brother knew that very well._

"_Bring her inside," The woman, whose name was Kagome Higurashi, ordered, practically pushing aside InuYasha to allow Sesshomaru entry into the household. _

"_Her clothes need to be changed immediately and I have some extras in my room. Bring her into the guestroom Sesshomaru," Kagome said, her tone full of patience, as she ignored the angered glances coming from her husband. _

"_This Sesshomaru does not need to be ordered around."_

_Kagome, who was generally known to be a sweet, kind and generous woman, placed her hands on her hips. She narrowed her eyes, before she retorted – without fear, seeing that this man was her brother-in-law, "Excuse me if I sound pushy, but I cannot carry around a hundred pound girl. Now if you please, Sesshomaru, lie her down in the guest room." Judging by her tone of voice, she would not repeat herself. _

_Sesshomaru, in all honesty, did not know why InuYasha had married her. _

**:3 :3 :3**

And so Sesshomaru had found himself by her side, ever since… But it was only because it was his job to look over her: she was his charge. That was as far as what 'the relationship' between them went. It did not matter to him if InuYasha and his wife assumed that he was infatuated with this girl; Sesshomaru knew the truth… He would not become like his father.

As much as Sesshomaru wanted to continue convincing himself that this girl was nothing but trouble, there was a part of him – in other words, his beast – that kept interfering. The beast wanted her… But Sesshomaru did not.

"What do you want, Sesshomaru?" InuYasha's gruff voice interrupted Sesshomaru's thoughts. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in detest, though his eyes never once strayed from the girl – who had gone back to a peaceful slumber.

"This Sesshomaru does not want anything from you," Sesshomaru hissed in reply.

"Don't give me that, Sesshomaru."

"This one does not lie," Sesshomaru stated, glaring into the half-demon's eyes with hatred that could easily rival – if not surpass – InuYasha's.

"Father called me, Sesshomaru. He knows what's been going on and so do I," InuYasha grunted, as he sat down on the floor – across from the elder brother, who he had not seen in quite some time… neither InuYasha or Sesshomaru were particularly glad that they were related. "So what the hell happened on the plane?" He had been referring to the assassin that killed the pilots in cold blood.

In all honesty, Sesshomaru knew that thought crept his mind… He did not know how the assassin managed to enter the plane without him knowing it. But he knew one thing was certain: Takemaru had been behind this… Yet, other people would be involved – and they would strike when they least expect it.

"One of Takemaru's men came and killed the pilots."

InuYasha scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "That's what Father said, but how they hell did they get on the frigging plane?"

That is the one question that Sesshomaru would have to ask Takemaru; the next time he saw him…

**:3 :3 :3**

"What's going on, InuYasha?"

The man in question turned around to meet the curious, yet anxious gaze of his wife of three years – Kagome Higurashi. InuYasha held out his hand, offering for Kagome to take it. She pursed her lips in a straight line as he pulled her close to him, burying his nose in her soft raven locks.

"Kagome…" InuYasha muttered, as his hands rested gently on her lower back. Whenever InuYasha had been through tough times, Kagome had always been there for him.

"InuYasha, I know you. And I also know that your beloved brother doesn't pop up randomly. What's going on?" Kagome asked - her tone full of worry for her husband. She pulled back – showing her beautiful chocolate eyes glistening with tears.

"It's Takemaru," InuYasha answered, as he gazed into Kagome's eyes.

"What does he want?" Kagome had been aware of the situation with Takemaru, for the past several years (even before she got engaged to InuYasha). She knew that he was criminal by law and yet no one found it in themselves to arrest him. She also knew that Takemaru had a tiff with InuYasha's family and it was always difficult to talk about.

"I don't know yet. But we'll get him," InuYasha promised to his wife, as he wiped away the tears that slipped down her porcelain cheeks.

"I know you will." Kagome gave him a small smile, before she kissed him on the cheek. "Now. As much as I want to continue smothering you with my love, we need to talk about the girl that Sesshomaru brought."

"Goddamnit. For the last time, Sesshomaru said she was not his…" Kagome threw him a dirty glare, preventing him from finishing his sentence. InuYasha, honestly, couldn't keep track of the times she switched moods; one moment she was lovey-dovey and the next, she could kill someone with that stare of hers.

"Do you have any idea who she is, InuYasha? It's the Emperor's daughter!" Kagome seethed, as she placed her hands on her hips. "And when I hear that she was in that plane crash, she was also with Sesshomaru. Do you know what that means? Whatever Takemaru is planning, she's involved."

InuYasha rolled his eyes. "I already know that," he scoffed, before he sat down on the couch in their living room.

"I'm just worried, InuYasha," Kagome sighed, sitting down next to her husband, and lied her head on his shoulder. "Your family's been through too much."

"This shit is gonna end soon enough, Kagome. Just remember that."

"But I don't want you to leave again. Remember how that ended?"

"It's going to be fine, Kagome. Have some faith in me, won't you?"

"I do believe in you, but it's just… I'm having your baby and I don't want my baby to grow up without a father," Kagome confessed, gazing into InuYasha's eyes.

"We'll make it through."

Kagome kissed him lovingly on the lips, although it was brief. "Alright. Now are you going to come to bed with me or not?"

"Yeah," InuYasha laid a hand on his wife's thigh, gently caressing it. "It's been a while, since… you know."

Kagome rolled her eyes, before she burst into giggles. "I'm not talking about that, you pervert. I was just going to offer you a backrub."

"Well, you sure are boring."

**:3 :3 :3**

Mina Sunata could feel more tears slipping down her cheeks, as she read the letter… Quite frankly, she knew that there was a storm coming, but she did not know that her dear daughter would be traveling through it. The fact that several guards had come for her husband not even a day after Rin's departure was enough to put Mina's mood down… not only had she lost her husband, she had lost Rin too.

Yet Mina prayed for her daughter to be safe; ever since she had flown away into the sky, tears never stopped forming in Mina's eyes. The sadness never left her heart – it still lived there. Mina couldn't hope to feel happy at the present moment, seeing that she had lost her family… But it was only temporary to be sure; she knew that deep, deep down, her daughter will return and so will her husband…

_To Mina Sunata, the wife of the Emperor,_

_I do not expect you to take this news kindly, nor do I expect you to come to me – asking why I have done this. In all honesty, my Lady, it is the actions of your husband that caused this to happen. I am not pointing fingers or naming names, as you might say; I am stating the facts. _

_Your husband Kiyotu has all the answers, but I will tell you what he has done. He has made deals with all the wrong people, but why? Because he believed that your safety, as well as your daughter's safety, is the most important thing in his life, but we all know how well this deal had turned out. _

_I have also come to an understanding that your daughter is engaged to Ryusei, correct? Do you believe why he has betrothed her? It may be because he owed money; let us leave it at that. _

_If you wish to know when the release of your husband is being posted, I suggest you wait until an official letter is sent to you; I would very much find it unpleasant if any confrontations occur if you had come to my abode. _

_Takemaru_

He had written this letter himself; he had been the one to shed some light on Kiyotu's recent endeavours… Mina had not expected for any of this to happen; she did not expect Kiyotu to have some wretched past… what had he done? Mina's heart, that had been strained by numerous events, was about to break.

Was it true that Kiyotu owed money to Takemaru? Or was it only part of the story? Shivers cascaded down Mina's spine; she pursed her lips, trying her hardest not to appear affected by Takemaru's words. But it was an impossible task, as she found her mind concocting questions that she would have to ask.

Kiyotu had never shared much of his past with his wife, and certainly not his daughter. This had been a mistake…

"Empress?"

Mina turned, to see the ghastly pale expression on her maid's face. "What is it?"

"We have received news that… there has been a terrible accident."

**:3 :3 :3**

**I am just terrible, aren't I? XD **

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter: some InuYasha and Kagome! YAY! **

**Don't worry; there will be some Rin and Sesshomaru moments in the future! Hooray for fluff!**

**Please leave a review – I'd love to know what you think! :D**


	10. Chapter 10: Hold It Against Me

**Sesshomaru is a silly boy if he thinks he can evade Rin; hello – he's her bodyguard! Yes, he can take the job seriously, but he cannot avoid her. Silly puppy. **

**Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :D**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 10: Hold It Against Me**

_This was a dream… at least, that was what Rin had told herself… At some point she had questioned whether or not if this had been reality, but since Rin had taken notes on her surroundings, she had to conclude that this was a dream. _

_All she knew was that she was standing, frozen in place, on a cross-walk; the night itself was dark, yet Rin could see clearly. The air was chilly, but it did not affect her skin; in fact, she completely ignored it. She also noticed that flakes of snow daintily cascaded from the clouds above and they had come in thick clumps, yet when they touched the ground, they disappeared… _

_But strangely enough, this was not what concerned Rin; she could feel overwhelming emotions strike her heart… though she did not know what she felt. What was she so conflicted about?_

_It was not even a second later when she saw people walk slowly: on the road and on the sidewalk. It also appeared that they did not notice her, though they had ghastly pale expressions. Rin could see fear in their eyes… _

_**Did something terrible happen here? Why don't they notice me?**_

_Silence lingered in the air, and Rin found it to be more uncomfortable than anything else. There was no one talking, there was no whispering; everyone that she could see was incredibly quiet. Dreariness was the atmosphere and depression was the mood. It was like Rin found herself in an angst movie or something to that effect. _

_Could she try calling out hello? Rin wouldn't know if it would work, yet she would try to take the risk. _

_But when Rin tried speaking, no sound came out of her lips; she couldn't hear her own voice, amongst those who were silent… So what was she to do then?_

_Before Rin could answer her own impending question, she noticed crimson liquid started to slip down the people's ghastly pale cheeks; within moments, pain and anguish were shining through their eyes... Shivers crept down Rin's spine, as she could feel her own emotions bubbling within her; what caused these people to shed tears of blood?_

_Her chest felt like it was being compressed, and Rin found it more difficult to breathe... Was it because she felt the same feelings of despair overwhelm her like the other people?_

_She did not know what to make of any of this; all she knew was how much she realized that she wanted this to end..._

_Where was Sesshomaru?_

_That was the other impending question that popped inside her head, as she helplessly continued to watch the unending suffering of the people walking by..._

_Then she heard a vicious growl coming from behind her; fear lay dormant in her stomach, as she realized that this was an inhuman growl... Moments passed before Rin realized she was surrounded. By what though? Her chestnut eyes managed to catch a glimpse of crimson eyes - filled with blood lust - staring into hers._

_And she could just tell that it was a demon; the organism had fangs protruding from the lips, it had markings on its cheeks and there was no sign of humanity..._

_The demon began stalking toward her - with every intention to make her feel unsafe... Rin certainly knew she was in a dire situation, but she also knew that she was in a dream._

_None of this was real. Rin told this to herself multiple times, and yet it didn't soothe her one bit._

_Then the demon leaped, heading straight in her direction. Rin winced; as she could feel her heart pound against her chest... she waited for herself to wake up. She wanted to be awake. And more importantly, she wanted to see Sesshomaru's golden eyes. She wanted to see him..._

_But Rin felt no pain; she did not feel like her ligaments had been torn apart. She felt nothing._

_She slowly opened her eyes and it appeared to be that she had been transported to another place, except she was in a dark abyss._ _She was all alone, and that thought still lingered in her mind._

_"Rin, it is time to wake up," Came the sound of her mother's nurturing voice, resonating within the empty space. Surprisingly, Rin did not feel calm - even if she heard her mother. And Rin could see her entering, with a solemn look on her face. Her eyes radiated with sadness... something that Rin never wanted to see from anyone._

_"Mom!" Rin called out, as she could feel panic rising through her body. She had a creeping feeling that something was going to happen..._

_"Please wake up; your father and I are waiting for you," Her mother's tone was filled with sadness, as did her eyes at that precise moment._

_"But I am awake, Mom!" Rin tried to convince her otherwise, but her efforts seemed to be useless. She did not seem to notice her appearance at all._

_What Rin witnessed at that moment... could have been thousands of times worse in reality than it was in a dream. But it did not mean it was not painful to watch. _

_Rin watched helplessly as a blade entered straight through her mother's chest and lingered for a short while._

_Rin could feel herself out of breath and tears ran down her cheeks, completely engulfed in the turn of events._

_Her lifeless body dropped to the floor...Mama…Rin thought, as the tears continued to pour down from her eyes._

_And from behind, Rin could pin-point a set of cruel, bloodthirsty eyes staring straight at her._

_"You're next, my dear," a venomous voice cackled with amusement._

_Rin shook her head, finally deciding to rid herself of the grief that was placed upon her. She had to get out of this mess somehow..._

_"This will happen to you, Rin. If you do not come with me..." _

_Rin's eyes flashed with anger. "I would never go with anyone!" Who did this guy think he was?_

_"In time, you will see... what it means to not heed my warning."_

**:3 :3 :3**

Rin's eyes automatically flew open, finally tearing herself away from the terrifying dream that took hold of her. Though her heart was still pounding against her chest, she started to feel relief wash over her. But even when she started to calm down, the dark images from her nightmare were still imprinted in her mind; she could not forget it easily... Especially the gruesome death that had befallen her mother... A choked sob escaped Rin's lips as she could still see the sharp blade entering her mother's flesh again and again in her mind. This was not something that Rin wanted to think about...

But who was that demon? What reason could it have for wanting her? Rin told herself to not worry about that, since it as just a stupid nightmare after all. Yet the worries were still there; Rin was still afraid of the fact that her family could have been killed... She was afraid that she was alone - that Sesshomaru had abandoned her. Then there as that dark, ominous feeling in her stomach…something terrible was going to happen and it would be beyond Rin's control to prevent it from occurring.

"Are you alright, miss?" a feminine voice calmly and concernedly asked her. The sound of the young woman's voice caused Rin to turn around to meet a set of chestnut eyes - filled with empathy. Rin was curious; who was she? Was she the one that Sesshomaru spoke of? Was she the ally? No... that couldn't be. This girl didn't appear to be cautious of her; she could tell by her caring gaze that she was not the demon ally. She had ebony hair that cascaded down her back in gentle waves, her complexion smooth and peachy, and lips that revealed a relieved smile. Rin's instincts told her that she could be trusted. If not, then why would Sesshomaru bring her here? That rhetorical question seemed to calm her down, emotionally, as she took a deep breath in. She was safe... nothing would harm her.

"I think so," Rin replied, her eyes never once leaving the gaze of her saviour's. She had to be the one that protected her...

"You're probably wondering who I am," the girl smiled. Rin noticed immediately that smile had reached her soft eyes... it was that reassurance that gave Rin another reason to relax in her presence. "My name is Kagome."

"Kagome…" Rin tested out her name with her lips and at once, she knew she liked that name. Rin's lips twisted to form a shy grin. "I'm Rin."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rin. I hope we can be friends during your stay."

Rin was about to answer, but she felt a pair of golden eyes scrutinizing her across the room. Rin's heart leaped for joy, knowing that Sesshomaru hadn't left her... this also calmed her immensely.

"Sesshomaru..." Rin whispered, as gold met chocolate. Sesshomaru appeared to be calm and collected - without any troubles or doubts smearing his mask of indifference.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Kagome asked her gently, neither sounding passive or prying.

"I remember crashing... and someone holding me," Rin answered with an honest tone. That was the most of what she could remember.

"This Sesshomaru has saved your life and brought you here," Sesshomaru's baritone rang out in waves across the room. Of course Rin knew Sesshomaru saved her life; she would never forget that... In fact, she had yet to repay him for saving her.

"So... you two are allies?" Rin's curious gaze flickered from Kagome's to Sesshomaru's, while she waited for an answer.

Just at the mere mention of the word 'allies' did Rin see his eyes darken, as though he had changed his mood. What could he be so grumpy about?

Kagome, however, chuckled lightly in amusement. "I guess you could put it like that. But in actual fact, he's my brother-in-law."

Rin's eyes widened, knowing she could never have guessed that... But really, it would make sense. Kagome's husband may be the liaison between humans and demons; that person may very well be the one to thank.

"It was my choice to marry young," Kagome supplied softly, as her hands rested on her lap, brushing away non existent dirt. "And my husband is a half-demon."

Rin was never one to judge anyone. But she did have an instant reserve of respect and admiration for this girl for choosing her own path... Something that Rin herself could not do on her own.

"You're lucky," Rin stated. "You're lucky to have chosen your own future."

"Thank you. But why are you so sad?" It was as though Kagome could see through Rin's very soul... it was as though she actually cared about her welfare. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. If you're hungry, I could bring you something to eat."

Kagome, as Rin could already tell, was selfless. She actually didn't want to care about her being the daughter of the Emperor. She was the only girl that seemed to treat her indifferently... much to Rin's appreciation. And they were getting along fine, so they were on their way to becoming friends... and that was what Rin desperately hoped for. "Thanks." Rin shot Kagome a grateful smile, before Kagome stood up to exit the bedroom.

This meant that Rin was now alone with Sesshomaru, who still observed her from across the room.

"What?" Rin asked, as she began to slowly change her prior position to a sitting position.

Sesshomaru said nothing at first, much to Rin's chagrin, but then stated, "You cannot mask your feelings very well."

Rin was shocked; how could he tell that she was not happy? How could he tell that she had faked most of her relief? Maybe... Sesshomaru had known her better than she knew herself. Maybe he did care about her, although this was a strange way of revealing that.

"You are unhappy," Sesshomaru continued.

"Of course I'm not happy; I...just wish that I could have a choice," Rin could feel tears slip down her cheeks... she knew that Sesshomaru was right. She would never be happy...

"This Sesshomaru never had a choice..." Though he had admitted this in a quiet one, Rin still heard him... and she couldn't help but wonder if he was sympathizing with her. Her heart skipped a beat, as she gazed at him with curiosity; although she was close to crying her guts out. But what did he mean? He never had a choice? Was he also forced to maintain a lifestyle that made his father happy? Or was he talking about something else?

"You've never been happy?"

Sesshomaru gave her a cold glare, but she was not afraid of him: she never had been. "You would not understand."

"I could try to," Rin gave Sesshomaru a sad smile, full of sympathy and compassion as well.

"You were trying to comfort me just now, weren't you?" Rin sounded less cheerless and more grateful.

"This Sesshomaru does not comfort people. He merely tells them the truth." Rin knew he was trying to act tough... she could tell. It was as though he as hiding something from her, but Rin wasn't going to force him to tell her.

"At least you're honest," Rin grinned. "And for the record, I don't think you do hate me. You wouldn't have said these things to me if you truly didn't care. How long were you sitting there?" Rin secretly wanted to know; if she wanted to prove her suspicions that Sesshomaru may have a small soft spot for her... she had to ask this question.

"Since you have been screaming..." Sesshomaru told her truthfully, still maintaining his calm demeanour.

"In my sleep?" Rin gasped, before she could feel her cheeks heat up in extreme embarrassment. "Sorry about that. It was just a stupid dream."

"This one will protect you; there is no need to worry." Rin's heartbeat nearly stopped altogether, as she heard his vow.

"So you care..." Rin whispered to herself, before she glanced back into Sesshomaru's eyes. "If I would be happy now, would you be happy?"

Sesshomaru did not reply, yet the look in his eyes said everything... at least, that was how Rin interpreted it. "After all, you just said you'd protect me..." Rin said. "And I do feel safe with you."

**:3 :3 :3**

**Sorry this chapter isn't as long as you expected! But I promise the future ones will be extra long! :)**

**Please leave a review; I'd LOVE to know what you think!**


	11. Chapter 11: Someone To Protect

**I sincerely hope you guys like this chapter; more Lord Fluffy and Rin interaction! :D**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 11: Someone To Protect**

She was someone that had to be protected; she was someone whose innocence could not be tainted by Takemaru... she had to remain safe and sound. It was only a duty that Sesshomaru himself could accomplish, yet he found himself questioning his own methods. The thought of not protecting the girl bothered him immensely; he still remembered holding her tightly in his arms as Sesshomaru escaped the plane with no trouble. He still remembered the concerned gaze of the girl before she passed out... she was not afraid of such misfortunes. She had not been afraid of him in general. Sesshomaru did not think he would stand her scent, which attempted to seduce him once or twice. He could hardly keep his mask of cold indifference in place when he was in the same room as her. He could barely resist the urge to hold her against his lithe body. This sickened him; he should not have an attraction to this human girl. But his beast wanted her. Sesshomaru himself had no desire for any woman, thus this situation was unfamiliar to him.

It was forbidden to take her as his own; she was betrothed to Ryusei. But this did not stop his beast from boiling deep within him. The fact that this precious woman, who held purity and beauty, was taken AND captured his attentions was what angered the beast further. No one ought to have a youthful woman like her. No one deserved her but himself.

Sesshomaru growled, as he continued to gaze outside the window and to stare at the celestial moon, which shone beautifully against the midnight blue sky. The stars themselves were insignificantly out-sparkled by the largest star in the sky at that moment. It was completely quiet within the household. Even Sesshomaru's younger half-brother and his mate were fast asleep; the charge herself was exhausted and slept with little trouble.

But Sesshomaru himself could not sleep; though there was no danger, he rarely allowed himself the opportunity to rest unless it was strictly necessary. Even when he was injured, he was still vulnerable to more sneak attacks, thus, there would be no reason for him to sleep.

This night... he had to stay awake; the drive to stay alert had been motivated by the very words that he had promised to the girl earlier on...

"_This one will protect you; there is no need to worry." _He meant every word, of which he discovered at this moment.

She seemed to trust him; she seemed to accept him as an equal. She was different...

_**She's ours... **_His beast reasoned within Sesshomaru's mind; he could tell that the beast was adamant about claiming her. For the beast, there was no point of return. He would not change his mind.

_She is human_, Sesshomaru argued, refusing to submit to his beast; he was the one in control.

_**Yet you protect her; she does not disgust you... she is different. She is ours. Ryusei does not deserve her…**_

Sesshomaru's self control was nearly to the point when he would give in to his beast's request. But Sesshomaru told himself he would not give in. He would not claim the girl as his mate...

Then why did he feel like he wanted to kill, or better yet disembowel, Ryusei? Why would he want to feel hatred toward him? Earlier that day, Kagome had relayed a message for the girl; saying that Ryusei would come visit her within the next couple of weeks. Sesshomaru had felt his beast stir with detest and at that time, he barely managed to keep his collective mask in place. And he was seething with rage; the thought of being in the presence with that... insect - for lack of a better term - annoyed him immensely.

Sesshomaru did not want to think about this any further. There was no point to analysing these kinds of things; it was not even integral to his mission. To protecting the girl...

A small sob could be heard from across the room. It was then that Sesshomaru realized that the girl was awake. He could never bear hearing a woman cry.

**:3 :3 :3**

Rin couldn't fall to sleep, much to her annoyance. She would, in fact, loved to sleep all of her troubles away, but it wasn't the case. Truth was, her 'fiancée' was coming to visit her; in a very short time - no less. Rin didn't know if she could handle him visiting; if it was up to her, she'd tell him the engagement is off and she would slam the door on his face. Rin didn't think she'd have trouble doing that though, which slightly reassured her. But what didn't reassure her as that not only did she have Ryusei's presence on her mind, she missed her family terribly.

Rin berated herself for shedding tears; she was a big girl - she couldn't cry anymore. Yet the tears slipped down her cheeks and there was a small sob that escaped her lips.

In all honesty, Rin felt like she was going to lose her sanity. With everything that had happened, an assassin trained to take down her plane, Sesshomaru rescuing her, learning that her fiancée was coming to visit her... it all felt like it was too much to bear. Rin suddenly possessed the urge to scream it all out; but she didn't want to disturb the rest of the household's sleep. And not to mention the odd expression she'd receive from Sesshomaru.

Who happened to be in the same room as her; there was a part of Rin that thought it was unnecessary for his presence - not to mention creepy... (Who knew what he actually did when she was sleeping) but the majority of her conscience said that she preferred it that he was there.

She should feel safe. She should feel well-protected. She should trust Sesshomaru to do his job properly. But then there was a doubting voice that told her otherwise. Rin tried her hardest to ignore these doubts. All she wanted was to have a calm, peace of mind.

It was hard to do so if her family's welfare had been on her mind all night long.

_Get a hold of yourself, girl! _Rin told herself. She had to remain strong; she was not going to be this weak, sad little girl who missed her parents. She was not going to act like she was four years old. She was going to have to get her act together. What was the worst that could happen? Really?

Ryusei could turn out to be a psycho murderer with a chainsaw and a hook.

Sesshomaru could turn out to be Batman in disguise.

Both of these 'possibilities' were nothing but ridiculous words for Rin's amusement. A grin slowly appeared on her lips and any tears that had formed in the brims of her eyes had miraculously disappeared. Even her heart had started to slow down to a steady beat; she was starting to relax and the concept of peace was just in her reach.

Rin turned onto her other side, facing the heavenly moonlight that shone brightly in her room. She still couldn't sleep; not even if she tried... It was at that point when Rin noticed that Sesshomaru was gazing at the moon; his golden eyes appeared to be dozy, like he was in deep thought. Maybe he was drifting into space... Was this what he would do if he couldn't sleep?

"_This one will protect you; there is no need to worry." _His words still rang clearly in her mind and at once she felt assured by them. Rin was not going to doubt Sesshomaru's promise; he looked at her straight in the eye, with a serious disposition, and declared that he would protect her. And since he obviously took his job seriously, why would he lie to her about this?

Plus, Rin wanted to become friends with him. As much as she appreciated Miss Kagome's company, Sesshomaru was always with her; and it would be awkward, to say the least, if they couldn't become comfortable around each other. In the beginning, which hadn't been too long ago, Rin had no idea what to feel for Sesshomaru. And even now, Rin still didn't know how she felt. But all that she knew was that she didn't want to be alone and Sesshomaru was someone that could fill that darkness in her heart. She did feel bad about using him in that way though, so she did have some hesitation in getting closer to him.

What if he pushed her away?

Nope. This was not going to happen. Rin had started to remind herself about her little toughening up speech and she included the fact that she was going to take risks. If Sesshomaru didn't want to be her friend, too bad; Rin was going to get what she wanted: companionship. Yeah, she did feel selfish, but she also felt confident into getting her way.

_Don't feel bad about befriending him. What is the worst he could do to you? He's supposed to protect you - not inflict you with harm. It's not like he's Marilyn Manson._

Okay that was not the best simile that Rin had come up with... but still, at least she was not going to mope around anymore. Or at least... not as much.

In her opinion, Sesshomaru probably thought that she was a brat.

Now that Rin had established her future plans, assuming she wasn't going to get killed in the process, the least she could do now was to talk to Sesshomaru.

Rin slowly removed the silk covers from her futon and quickly adjusted her clothes. It would have been embarrassing for her if she went to go talk to Sesshomaru with her cleavage exposed... Somehow, that thought didn't sound embarrassing as she thought it would. Rin's cheeks heated up as she then realized she was sounding like a pervert. She shook her head - trying to get rid of these scarring-for-life images that popped up instantaneously.

Rin also made a point of clearing her throat, just in case her voice wouldn't sound hoarse when she would start conversing with him.

Her heart was beating fast once again and Rin was pretty sure it had to do with the fact she had next to no experience with men. She had no male friends when she was growing up, much to her displeasure. But now was a good time to start being less socially awkward and more socially confident.

"Hey," Rin cracked a smile, as she walked closer toward Sesshomaru: who was sitting cross-legged on the floor with his sword attached to the hip. Wait a minute... Rin never recalled noticing he had his own weapon by his side. It was just a subtle reminder to her that danger could still be lurking in the darkness...Knowing it was pointless to dwell on it too long, Rin sat next to him.

Rin couldn't stop gazing at Sesshomaru's contours; she thought that he was the very epitome of perfection... with a beautiful marble complexion, magenta stripes perfectly parallel to each other on his cheekbones, eyes that could melt anyone that looked into them... Rin would have swooned for the fiftieth time if she had been a fan girl. Heck, even his ivory hair was perfectly straight and if Rin could find it in herself to touch his hair, she would think his locks of hair would be silky smooth to the touch.

Rin nearly stopped breathing altogether when Sesshomaru finally seemed to acknowledge her presence. His eyes held hers and she couldn't even tell what he was feeling... but she did notice a crack in the wall that he had built around himself. She did notice that Sesshomaru was bothered about something.

"Couldn't sleep? Me neither. Just got a lot of things on my mind, I guess," Rin said, in an effort to pull Sesshomaru into the conversation.

"I do not need to sleep." Sesshomaru certainly did not lack any conviction when he answered her, for what it seemed like the first time that evening.

"Why? Because something's going to attack me right this instance?" Rin inquired.

Sesshomaru turned his head to stare into her chestnut eyes. "This one said he will protect you." Every time Sesshomaru said those words, Rin was certain her heart was going to melt.

_So much for saying you're not in love!_

"I appreciate that, but it shouldn't be at the expense of your health."

It was then that Sesshomaru had asked her a question. "Why is it your concern that I do not have sleep?" To Sesshomaru, this girl puzzled him; she certainly was not one who tended to possess selfish traits. Instead of worrying about herself, she tended to show worry toward him. It had been apparent since he had rescued her from the plane crash...

"It's because I care," Rin answered simply, as she tried to fight off a blush from appearing on her porcelain cheeks. "Any good friend would say that to someone who they care for."

"Regardless of what they are?" Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Rin nodded. "I think the world would be a better place if everyone just got along. But power and money do terrible things to people."

"There are those who do not believe in that sentiment." From the way Sesshomaru put it, it was like he thought Rin was foolish for having this belief.

"I take it that you think demons are superior to humans?" Rin narrowed her gaze upon Sesshomaru, before she turned back to face the moonlight. "I get what you're saying."

"I do not expect you to understand," Sesshomaru replied coolly, which did not suit well with Rin. He could see, for the first time, anger build up in them...

"Am I just a stupid little girl to you? I hate to tell you this, but I'm not. You think I'm happy with the way things are? No, I'm not!" Tears started to build up in her eyes and Rin refused to let hem fall. Not in this life. "My father thinks he can just sell me off and believe it or not, it is degrading." Rin didn't mean to vent out her feelings like that, but she couldn't help it. The emotional dam that had been building itself up inside her heart for the past few days was starting to crumble.

"You did not let your sire know you were not alright with the arrangement?" Good to know that Sesshomaru had been listening to her, but in Rin's mind, he was missing the point.

"How could you understand anything about that? You probably had a very different upbringing from me."

"This one was raised no different from you."

Rin stayed silent, willing to listen to what Sesshomaru had to say. "I was coerced into this life; do you believe this Sesshomaru is happy with serving humans? This one has never been 'happy'."

Rin gave him a sympathetic look. "You do think yourself better than us humans. Is that why you are so angry at me?"

Sesshomaru had never been furious toward her... no... His beast was angry that she was engaged; his beast was angry that it couldn't take what it wanted. Sesshomaru was angry... because he found himself drawn to her every moment.

"Or did you lose someone important to you that made you feel this way?"

"This Sesshomaru has not lost anyone of value." Was that how he referred to people as?

Rin was still not satisfied with his answers. "Have you ever been in love?" She did not mean to put her question in that way, but she didn't know how to re-word it. "I haven't been in love..." _Liar... you are in love with him_. "So I wouldn't know how it feels. But there's something else I need to know. When Miss Kagome came in the other day and said that Ryusei was coming to visit me, I noticed you looked upset. Why?"

Sesshomaru was uncertain if he should answer her or not. For the most part, he did not know what 'love' felt like; he held no emotional attachment to any woman in the past. He knew that he had not been trained to become soft. His father and mother ad been strict enough to raise him into the person they wanted him to be.

Rin knew that Sesshomaru was hesitant to answer her; she could see it in his eyes.

"This one cannot explain it." The intense gaze he had just given her was passionate.

"It's okay." She had no right pushing him for answers. It was up to Sesshomaru to tell her, and if he didn't want to,

Rin was okay with that. For the most part.

There were no other words that needed to be said between them; Rin had understood, for the most part, and Sesshomaru was enamoured by her innocence...

But what surprised Rin more was that she had the urge to embrace Sesshomaru. She did admit to herself that she needed to be closer to him... but was she in love? Truly?

_Just hug him, you big chicken!_

Rin did her absolute hardest to not feel shame; after hearing Sesshomaru, and the brief hell he had experienced in his life, there was nothing that Rin wanted to do other than giving him comfort. She didn't know what was happening... but she knew that Sesshomaru needed her. She could have said it was her female intuition, but at the time, Rin wasn't quite sure. Maybe she had been put under a spell. Who knows?

She wanted to feel his body against hers; she wanted to feel his warmth seep through her body. And so Rin made that want a reality... she quickly wrapped her arms around Sesshomaru's torso. Immediately, she felt right... this moment felt right; there was nowhere else she'd rather be at this moment.

"Please don't leave me alone," Rin murmured.

Sesshomaru did not reply; neither did he return her embrace or push her away. He merely let her hold him... though his heart paced against his chest.

Her scent was mesmerizing.

Her personality, as he could tell, was captivating.

Her emotions had made him curious.

They both suffered through hell; their families both pressured them to do their bidding. Both of them had felt isolated from the world, at times, and loneliness was something both of them had been used to.

Both of them were not alone now.

**:3 :3 :3**

Kagome could be really frightening at times; she was the only woman on this planet that could stand up to InuYasha AND to put him in his place. The fact that husband and wife argue most days pretty much assured everyone else around them that this was how their marriage worked out. But now that Kagome was pregnant with InuYasha's child, one could say that Kagome's anger had risen up to the point that she could be more frightening than Sesshomaru.

And when InuYasha found his wife lying in bed with a dark, gloomy expression upon her facial features, which did resemble his own from time to time, InuYasha knew he was about to get a lecture. It may be his pride talking, but he was not afraid of his wife.

The time when she had found out InuYasha broke her grandmother's vase? InuYasha was not scared of the consequences, but was pissed that she forced him to sleep on the couch.

The time when Kagome asked her husband if she looked fat in a certain dress? Once again, InuYasha's ego did the talking. Needless to say, he found himself sleeping on the couch again, for two nights.

This was proof enough that InuYasha did not know women very well. But he knew Kagome extremely well...

"Don't tell me you're constipated, Kagome. I ain't taking you to the bathroom," InuYasha snorted, as he lay down beside Kagome.

She was not impressed with his sad excuse for a joke, as you could imagine.

"Stop spying on them!" Kagome hissed, getting straight to the point.

"I wasn't spying," InuYasha argued, and it was amazing that both husband and wife could keep their voices down.

It was Kagome's turn to act sarcastic; she rolled her eyes and responded, "And I'm not pregnant with your baby."

"I was just checking to see if anything was going on between them." Why was it that his own damn mate couldn't believe him? It wasn't like he had ulterior motives.

"Sesshomaru would kill you," Kagome sighed.

"Then he'll have to explain to his newborn nephew why he killed his dad."

"For the last time, we're going to have a girl."

"You're killing me, woman."

**:3 :3 :3**

**I am so sorry for not updating in a while; it's called real life. LOL!**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know what you think! :D**


	12. Chapter 12: Passing Judgment

**Thanks go out to ****NekoxUsa**** for being the one to correct all of my mistakes; thank you so much honey! :3**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 12: Passing Judgment**

"Lord Takemaru, the Emperor's wife wishes to speak with you."

Takemaru's cardinal eyes glowed with curiosity in the dark. His lips twisted to form a satisfactory smirk. It was one of those smiles that told people directly how pleased he was with the situation at hand; certainly, this one was no different. But Takemaru was currently aware of what the woman wanted from him; she wanted her husband to be free. Such sentiment was pathetic and Takemaru would have sneered, knowing that the old woman was wasting her time. He never conceded to anyone's demands; in his mind, these people were desperate and they always sounded like they were begging for mercy.

"Tell her that I will hear her out. Do not make any promises," Takemaru's tone was low and full of warning.

The guard nodded, apparently being used to this sort of behaviour coming from his superior. Even the expendable knew that Takemaru accepted no failures, much less mistakes.

Takemaru took another sip of wine from his glass, as he waited for the Emperor's wife to come to him. It had been to his understanding that from the letter he had written her, there would be no confrontations of any sort. Though Takemaru did say that there had been yet a date to release the Emperor, it was quite apparent that his wife was not as patient to learn when.

Then he saw her; the frail woman that the Emperor had married. She looked as though she were in the presence of a tyrannical beast, a horrid monster that would kill her slowly and painfully. Her eyes were gleaming with fright, yet they also shone with courage. Takemaru could tell that she had not slept well; her clothes were rustled, her hair was not groomed to perfection and dark circles underneath her eyes said as much. Takemaru was glad to know that he had struck fear into someone's heart...

It had been three days since Takemaru had sent her that letter.

"I take it that you are here to bargain for your husband's release?"

"Yes and no. There are many things I wish to know." Mina Sunata sounded neutral - no anger or fear was in her voice, much to Takemaru's curiosity. It became clear to him that this woman was up to something, and he would soon find out.

Takemaru's eyes darkened as he responded, "I do not wish to disappoint you, but your husband is not going to be released."

Sunata pursed her lips, and at that moment, Takemaru could see a plethora of emotions in her eyes.

"You must understand that whatever words I have spoken to you were not a guarantee."

"I know you think of me as a fool; but I would know better than to listen to your lies," Sunata spoke coolly, like she was not affected by Takemaru's intimidating personality. Yet her body was frozen and she was not so easily relaxed in his presence.

"You sure have the gall to say that, but do you mean it? You have always feared me, as well as the Emperor." Takemaru leaned forward in his chair, while grinning wickedly and narrowing his eyes - fixing them on Mina Sunata's figure. "Is that not the reason why you have sent your flesh and blood away?"

Just the mention of her daughter was enough for her to appear scared, if only for a moment.

"Ahh, so you think I have dark intentions..."

"I will not allow you to harm my daughter," Sunata stated. "You may think that she has every right to be involved, but she is not."

Takemaru laughed cruelly, knowing fully well why she had come here; not only was she wanting her Emperor back, she wanted her daughter to be free as well. And here, Takemaru assumed that she was pathetic for this kind of sentiment. In fact, it was amusing to him that this woman - married to the Emperor of Japan - was BEGGING to him. Oh, how the mighty had fallen...

"As much as I applaud you for your submission, do not make me laugh. The girl has every reason to become involved; ever since Ryusei has come into the picture."

Confusion lit up in her eyes; Takemaru could see it... The fact that neither the Emperor nor his wife had suspected his motives was proof enough that neither of them was very smart; in fact, he was quite surprised that the Emperor had known, but had not told his wife.

"I take it that your husband has deceived you," Takemaru said slowly.

"What is it that you are talking about?"

"You have no idea who Ryusei really is."

At first sight, she appeared to be in denial. Though in Takemaru's opinion, the wretched woman could believe what she wanted.

"You are extremely foolish to trust those around you. Your husband, however, did not make the same mistake as you."

"If one may assume you're right, then who is Ryusei?" The pained expression written on her face was believably real; there were only rare traces of doubt, but Takemaru could sense only betrayal from her very soul.

"It is I," a voice interrupted them from the shadows and a pair of brown eyes glared mercilessly into Sunata's...

"Reveal yourself, Ryusei." Meanwhile, Mina Sunata had shown her true emotions; her eyes were brimming with tears, she nearly stopped breathing altogether... How could this be…? It shouldn't be possible; yet... it was. Mina Sunata only wanted her family back: she yearned for her husband's embrace and her daughter's carefree smile...

Her heart stopped beating altogether. Nothing but excruciating pain entered her body, and Mina was saddened to say the least; even then, sadness was far from being the right word to say to describe this moment. Betrayal. This man... who her husband had deemed 'suitable' for her daughter to marry... he was Takemaru's right hand man? His... assassin?

This made no sense; to think that Mina had trusted her husband's judgement... and it all came down to this.

"Ryusei..." Mina murmured, as agony started to consume her from the inside. "Why?" Out of all the questions that formed in her mind, this was the only one that managed to slip out of her lips.

"How well do you know your husband?" Takemaru inquired, as his right-hand man stood beside him: with no emotion in his eyes... and with no soul.

"His past discretions have led him astray." Even Ryusei's voice was cold and calculating; Mina then realized that he had made a fool of her family... he had fooled them all along. "Has he not told you that he had once been a part of us?"

"What do you mean? A part of you?"

"The Emperor was part of our organization; in fact, he was the one who suggested that the women be a part of it." Cold shivers cascaded down Mina's back, as she then rationalized that the 'organization' Takemaru was speaking of had been prostitution.

"Of course, it's more complicated than that. The Emperor had taken something very important; in fact, he was obsessed with it for a short while. The Shikon Jewel."

"He... couldn't have; he was not interested in that power," Mina whispered, as she tried to process this information.

"The Emperor wanted the Jewel more than he wanted you and your daughter."

Tears slipped down Mina's cheeks as Ryusei's harsh tone shattered her heart.

"He has deceived you, has he not? He had sold your own flesh and blood for the Jewel; he cared not of what happened to your daughter."

Had their love been a lie? Had it all been a game to him? Mina couldn't believe it... she couldn't accept that her dearest husband had willingly sold Rin into this life. What could he have to gain from the jewel?

"The Shikon Jewel has the ability to grant a wish from your heart; the Emperor wanted power and he had already been corrupted by the pain that he had suffered from his younger days."

Mina Sunata fell to her knees; she felt as though an anchor was placed on her body. She felt overwhelmed by the information that she had just been told.

"He was foolish enough to think he could escape us. Even now, he thought he had changed his identity," Ryusei told Takemaru, as he crossed his arms.

Mina looked up into Takemaru's eyes, with curiosity... and with suffering.

"Who... is he... really?"

"He is Naraku."

**:3 :3 :3**

She had died with a broken heart; though in theory, her foolishness had gotten herself killed. Her mind had been eclipsed by darkness; she was deep in it and could not escape. She had let it surround her until she cried no more. The anguish that she felt was excruciating... it felt as though the pain would never leave her.

She had been so naive to think that love would save her; but she knew the truth now... Her husband had betrayed her. Her husband had played with her heart; he only wanted a sacrificial lamb to keep the power lying dormant within him.

Naraku... he was foul. He was cruel...

He had been her lover...

But he was a cursed, wretched bastard from hell; he had lived since the Segoku Period. He had killed innocents. He forced himself upon women. He stole from the poor. He had done horrid deeds that disgraced others. He had lived through all of that... he had disappeared from the face of the earth... until she married him.

Blood.

All she could see now was blood.

Why did it curse her now? Why, each time she closed her eyes in the darkness, she could only see him brutally killing others? Why did she sense darkness?

Numb. The heartache faded into nothingness... this was all what she felt now.

Why did she love him? Why did he leave her broken?

**:3 :3 :3**

"The woman will break down easier than I thought," Takemaru smirked victoriously, as he gazed out of the dark lair's windows and into the night.

"You wish that she dies a broken woman?" Ryusei raised an eyebrow, in mere curiosity as to what his master's true motives were.

"Do not tell me that you feel compassion, Ryusei. Remember that the weak must die and the strong live on." Takemaru's crimson eyes glared with pure hatred and his tone was malicious.

"I do not feel compassion; that is a sentimental emotion that makes every mortal weak," Ryusei replied gravely.

"The woman can rot in that cell for eternity; you know this was part of the plan."

"But if Rin were to discover the truth, she would go mad with rage, will she not?" Ryusei pictured the girl with raven hair, with curious doe-like eyes, with a peach complexion...

No. This girl was only a tool in the destruction of Japan; and in the beginning of a new era. Ryusei was not one to fall in love; nor was he the type to feel compassion toward others. He did not feel guilty for what he had done. There was no reason to.

"That is what we are counting on."

"And what of the Dog General's sons? Are they any real threat?"

"You fool! Of course they are a threat!" Takemaru snarled angrily. "They know of our intentions. They are nothing but pests."

Takemaru had once desired a beautiful woman; he had been in love with her... until Inutaisho had come along. He had corrupted her... he had taken her like a wild beast. It was simply disgusting. Takemaru had felt nothing but rage consume his heart. He wanted nothing but revenge... and soon, he would get it.

"And what of Naraku? You will plan to leave him in the cell to die as well?" Ryusei could care less what happened to the old bastard; even he could see that death was his fate.

"It is his only fate," Takemaru said simply, as his tone of voice softened.

**:3 :3 :3**

Something was wrong; she didn't know what, but she had a faint feeling that something had happened... Rin wanted to ignore these uneasy feelings from deep within her heart, but they wouldn't perish. A voice whispered to her, reminding her that danger was everywhere... but what danger? What could possibly harm her at this time of the day?

Rin sighed in contentment as the cool wind brushed her skin. She did feel at ease most of the time and now was no different.

It felt like it was the first time she had stepped out into the world; the sunshine greeting her warmly, the azure sky captivating and the clouds puffy and scattered across the sky.

But what delighted her was the sight of all of these flowers, growing in Kagome's garden. She could see a variety of different, unique and iridescent flowers; and the smile on her face grew bigger. When was the last time she had seen such beauty?

"I can see someone's enjoying the sunshine," Kagome remarked cheerfully, as she sat down beside her companion.

"I can't remember the last time I felt this peaceful," Rin admitted. She looked straight into Kagome's nurturing, chocolate eyes as she said this. There had never been any point trying to lie to Kagome; she had always been kind to her and she knew she could be trusted.

"I never knew what it felt like. Not until I met InuYasha," Kagome stated, gazing into the pond that was a few feet away from her flower garden. She could see her own reflection - staring back at her with the same expression of contentment.

"Did something happen?" Rin inquired, trying not to sound too nosy.

"My father died a few years ago and it was tough on my mom, my little brother and I. My brother got sick not too long after that and we couldn't afford the medical bills. My brother had cancer." Kagome cracked a small smile. "But we were lucky that he managed to pull through; Mom got a good job working at the hospital and I got a full time job at a daycare. The thing was, we didn't give up hope."

"So how did you meet InuYasha?"

"Believe it or not, Wacdonald's... Let's just say that I ordered a lot of food, he insulted me and... Things just went from there."

"Typical love story," Rin snorted before she burst into laughter. Somehow, she could picture the scene in her mind...

"That's an understatement," Kagome smirked, also joining Rin in a round of amused laughter.

"Kagome, how does it feel... to be in love?" Rin pondered out loud; she knew that if there was someone she could trust when it came to needing advice about romance, it was Kagome.

"I can't really say; I just feel really happy and girly. Not to mention that there's a hundred butterflies in my stomach. But maybe it's realizing what a person means to you once they're gone. Why? Are you in love?" Kagome peered into Rin's eyes, searching for any hidden feelings.

A vivid image of Sesshomaru gazing passionately into her eyes made Rin's heartbeat stop, for a moment or two. Not to mention her cheeks were blushing...

"Is it possible you're thinking of something perverted with Sesshomaru?" Kagome teased, causing Rin to growl in frustration. Her cheeks still burned a poppy-red shade and did nothing to rectify the situation.

"I don't even know if I love him."

"What does your heart tell you?"

Simple; it had always told her to place trust in Sesshomaru. She'd always be safe within his protection... she also knew that she cared about him; otherwise, she wouldn't have tried to hug him the last night. She didn't feel discouraged whatsoever when Sesshomaru merely let Rin embrace him; in fact, she felt happy... being with him made her feel all sorts of different things.

"Wait a minute; how did you know..." Rin gasped in embarrassment, as she then realized that someone had been listening to their conversation from the previous night.

"It was InuYasha who was spying on you; that jerk seems to think it's okay to creep on you," Kagome snorted.

"Well it's not like we were doing anything, so why'd he bother?" Rin replied.

"Well... Sesshomaru hasn't really gotten close to anyone apart from you, Rin."

Rin was certain that her heart skipped a beat. Okay, time to change the subject...

"You'd think he'd be concerned about you and your baby," Rin's eyes fell to Kagome's stomach, which had become rounded in her pregnancy.

"You'd think so, but he's not. He thinks he's having a boy," Kagome rolled her eyes, like the thought of having a mini-InuYasha was ridiculous.

"And you don't?"

"Nope. I can just feel that we're having a girl." InuYasha should prepare for disappointment - female intuition was never wrong. But Kagome knew that InuYasha would love his children, regardless of gender.

Rin grinned. "Maybe your baby will have puppy ears."

"I think so too. Oh! I can't wait until this baby gets out into this world."

Rin would have responded, but she felt as though someone was staring at her... she turned around to see Sesshomaru's eyes gazing with curiosity into hers; at once, she was weak. Her heart pounded against her chest but she didn't tear her gaze away from him...

In all honesty, she never wanted him to stop looking at her with such intensity; because deep, deep down, Rin always assumed that this was the moment in a movie where the protagonist would kiss his intended.

Unfortunately, life didn't work like that, so Rin was stuck to struggling with her feelings for Sesshomaru.

And maybe it was apparent that he had feelings for her too; but Rin didn't want to get her hopes up. Love probably felt great, but there was a possibility that she'd be left with a broken heart.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I bet you never saw that coming, did you? XD**

**Please leave a review, my darlings; I'd LOVE to know what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13: Intimacy

**Sango and Miroku are now part of the story! XD**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 13: Intimacy**

Her breathing was expeditious; her heart was pounding continuously against her chest; her body ached in exhaustion and in physical injury. She was certain that her wrist was strained. Blood stained her knuckles, as well as a couple scratches on her cheekbones. But this was the least of her problems of which she could really care less of. As long as she remained focused at the task at hand, she'd be fine. She always had.

_Focus... keep up your strength; take no risks..._

It was easier said than done. She had been standing there in the dark... watching, detecting danger - or to be more specific, one of Takemaru's cronies.

The silence of the night was deafening and at any given moment, anything could happen. Death was almost always a possibility.

_Get a grip, Sango. You've been on these types of missions before._

Sango Tanika was the best at what she did - at least in Japan; she had been a professional demon slayer from the time she was thirteen and had been trained to take down any demon that crossed the line between ally and enemy. She had been taught to show no mercy towards those monsters at a very young age, as she had witnessed her family's atrocious murder at the hands of a band of spider demons.

She had suffered from post-traumatic stress afterwards and she had never been the same since the dreadful event... Never did she ever relax, never did she smile anymore. At least until she met Kagome Higurashi, but even then she had to shield her terrors of her past from her...

Sango, whose dark brown eyes glowed in the dark, gritted her teeth as she tightened her long locks of mahogany hair into a ponytail. She was not allowed to think about her past right now; nor could she ever allow her thoughts to waltz into the future.

Focus.

And breathe...

Then she felt it; a presence of some sort was behind her - maybe intentionally creeping up on her. Sango narrowed her eyes; she would not be prone to such foolish tricks. She knew better than to drop her guard. If she didn't, she'd end up killed. Or worse...

Sango directly jabbed her elbow with as much force as she could muster into the demon, or human, that was right behind her. But what she didn't count on was the fact that this person groaned in pain... come to think of it, she did feel something caressing her butt.

Only one person was capable of doing such a lecherous act.

It was Miroku.

"Why'd you have to do that, my sweet, sweet, Sango?" The man whimpered.

Sango, however, rolled her eyes, crossed her arms and felt no remorse to the person grunting in pain. Miroku Houshi was her partner in crime, as well as her good friend for the past two years. Though Miroku was kind and generous, there was another side to him that he only shows in front of women. He was perverted (to put it lightly) and he was that desperate enough to get laid that he always happened to touch Sango's butt. Of course, he said he had an excuse, but Sango never bought it.

And at first, she never seemed to have bought the "I love you" speech from six months earlier; but in actual reality, she had feelings for Miroku - even if her mind put a strong wall around itself to protect her from such declarations. Miroku always had the power to convince her of this fact, but there were times that Sango actually doubted he wasn't boyfriend material.

Love was so complicated, which was why Sango usually focused on her missions - whenever she found herself assigned with Miroku. But it was pretty hard to; with loving violet eyes, a charming smile that always melted Sango's heart, dark chestnut hair that did wonders to his complexion, Miroku was extremely handsome.

"Serves you damn right, you pervert," Sango retorted, trying hard not to raise her voice; after all, there may be someone else hiding in the shadows.

"Are you alright, Sango?" Miroku inquired, staring deeply into his girlfriend's eyes with concern.

Sango's heart was still beating against her chest, that she thought it as going to leap out.

"I'm fine," Sango replied. Miroku did not look convinced, to say the least, seeing that her appearance was more distraught than ever.

Sango blushed as she felt one of Miroku's fingers gently wiping away the blood that stained her cheek.

"You've been pushing yourself too much," Miroku commented.

"Well, if you had twenty or so demons coming straight for you, you'd do the same thing."

Regardless of how many injuries she had received from the demons that had attacked her two hours ago, Sango never found herself out of commission. She always had to keep fighting - no matter what the cost. The fact that Miroku was worried for her safety was enough to make her think about her actions; she had to be more careful about her life because there was someone who treasured it immensely. Miroku seemed to have a good influence on her as of recently, much to her own surprise.

She had never trusted men like Miroku before; that was her mantra before she even recognized her feelings for him. Men like Miroku only wanted one thing: sex. No relationship and certainly no commitment. Sango went through one of these things before and she certainly regretted it. No way would she lend her heart to anyone again, much less her trust. Miroku proved her wrong: she could love again...

"At least you're all right now," Miroku sighed in relief and in happiness, as he pulled her in for a hug. Needless to say, Sango still wasn't used to this sort of affection... in all honest opinion, she didn't know if she would ever be used to it. Her cheeks were still burning red - much to her chagrin.

"What are you doing?" Sango seethed. "We have a job to do."

"I know, but must you spoil the moment?"

Sometimes Sango loved to think he had the emotional intelligence of a child, or a pre-pubescent teenager.

"We should get going," Sango reminded Miroku, who still had his arms wrapped around her waist tightly.

"Takemaru... his men are still out here?" Miroku narrowed his eyes, as he pulled away from Sango.

She nodded. "If they're around this area, I can't sense them. Can you?"

Miroku came from a line of priests and monks who were said to possess spiritual powers that claim to eradicate any demon. His powers were extremely astute, considering that he had less of a 'pure' heart: a qualification that one would need to become a monk.

"Perhaps they have a specific target in mind."

Sango's eyes widened. "You don't mean..."

"The Emperor's daughter."

They had fully well learned from Kagome that the Emperor's daughter, whose name was Rin, had been in terrible danger; Takemaru had most likely sent someone off to crash plane to kill the girl... of course these were mere suspicions, but who else would have a grudge against the Emperor?

There had also been rumours that the Emperor had been imprisoned, but no one knew for sure. Even Sango had a bad feeling that more calamity would be sure to come; even Miroku was concerned about this matter.

**:3 :3 :3**

"They are nearby," Ryusei's eyes glistened in the dark, turning into a slightly smouldering amber shade.

Ryusei had always been taught to be stealthy; never once had he let his guard down. Never once did he accept anything else than perfection. Never once did his master tolerate mistakes...

"Who is nearby?" Takemaru asked, noting the resolute and contemplative demeanour written all over his apprentice's features.

"It is the monk and the demon slayer," Ryusei turned his eyes away for a moment. "Inutaisho may have sent them."

Takemaru scoffed. "That coward sends feeble humans to do his bidding? And he calls himself the strongest of demons."

The grudge between Takemaru and Inutaisho would never end...

"How close are they?" Takemaru's voice amplified throughout the room, sounding displeased about the current turn of events.

"They are not even aware that they have come upon us," Ryusei crossed his arms. "The entire barrier is invisible to them." Neither human was to be underestimated; though Takemaru had once made the mistake of doing the same thing about Inutaisho's power, Ryusei knew better than to judge. He would only believe one's strength until he felt it. In this case, however, he was not certain what to make of the humans as they stood outside of the barrier.

"It is time to pay them a visit," Takemaru stated and Ryusei nodded in understanding. "Kill them. They will serve to be a message toward Inutaisho."

Once an order had been given out, it was to be carried out; Takemaru made this clear to those who served under him.

Revenge always tasted sweet when it was executed in a perfect way... Takemaru himself knew that first hand, as did Ryusei.

"And of Naraku? Will you kill him?" Ryusei's voice was neutral, though Takemaru was not surprised that his pupil was hiding his anger. Though he had every right to be angry... that the Emperor that they have imprisoned had once taken away everything that meant to Ryusei; he yearned for revenge and Takemaru could see it in his eyes…

"Not quite yet. His soul has yet to be broken."

"You may threaten him but he does not care."

"Precisely. That is why we must get the girl."

Ryusei's eyes narrowed at the mention of the Emperor's daughter, but he showed no other immediate reaction. In truth, he did want her - her beauty was quite astonishing for someone who was not even eighteen years old. He himself had decided that the girl belonged to him; and picturing her in his bed... him claiming her as his... it was a fantasy that would turn soon into reality.

"Rin. What good is she in your plan?" Ryusei inquired.

"I already know you desire her; fear not. She is already yours. And I already know you wish to kill the Emperor. If that is what you truly desire, you may as well do it yourself."

**:3 :3 :3**

"Something's wrong," Sango pointed out, narrowing her eyes as she locked her gaze into the darkness in front of her. She could sense something... it was obvious enough it had to be a barrier of some sort; she couldn't get a read on whether or not if demons or humans were within it. However, since she knew for a fact that this barrier was placed deliberately - as though someone wanted to be hidden, to never be caught, it must have been a demon.

They could run for all they cared; but they couldn't run away from the truth.

"I sense it too. Do you think Takemaru is behind that barrier?" Miroku was an analytical person and often took other people's opinions as seriously as he loved Sango. Odd enough comparison, but it was true.

"There isn't anywhere else where he'd be. Not to mention Inutaisho gave us location to check."

Miroku chuckled. "Find him intimidating?"

Sango scowled. "Of course not. He just doesn't give us his reasons for what he does."

Miroku gave her a smile. "It is hard to believe that he is InuYasha's father."

Sango rolled her eyes; InuYasha was their closest friend, apart from Kagome - who introduced him to them. He had a crude sense of humour, he was very stubborn and he was very protective of his closest friends. Whereas Inutaisho was serious and did have his own sense of humour as well as his over-protectiveness to those he found close to him. The only similarity between them was they could be guarded from anyone else. But it wasn't as though InuYasha never inherited his use of language from his father.

"What's that?" Sango then heard something coming from the barrier a few feet away from them; to her, it must have been footsteps and at any rate, Sango would practically welcome those who came toward them. After all, she herself had been standing there for quite a long while with only twenty or so demons coming at her, but that was a long time ago.

A faint outline of a figure slowly appeared and both Miroku and Sango knew that this person's aura reeked of anger and revenge. But as he came into view, they were tempted to ask of his identity. This man had auburn hair which was tied up into a ponytail so then none of his facial features were hidden. Dressed in a traditional hakama and haori - both the same shade as the night sky - and carried a sword at the hip. The eyes that belonged to this person glowed with no emotion, much to Miroku's observation. Deep down, he wondered if this person was as ruthless as he appeared to be.

"Who are you?" Sango's voice resonated clearly and loud enough to catch anyone's attention; including this stranger, who merely gave her a blank stare in return.

Was he human or was he demon?

"If you wish to know my name, it is Ryusei. But I find that introductions are pointless; especially when death is in the air."

Shivers crept down Miroku's spine. He knew then that this person was not friend: he was foe.

"Well tough luck; we're not going to die today," Sango smirked shamelessly; as she saw Ryusei's lips twitch to form a frown.

"You say that, but do you mean it? I can smell your blood pouring from your wounds and your strength is lessening each passing moment."

Again, Miroku had concluded that Ryusei had to be a demon of some sort.

"As long as my enemies go down in the long-run, I don't care," Sango replied.

"So you wish to fight to the death?" He raised an eyebrow, as though he was in disbelief - like he thought she was lying.

"Are you my enemy?" Sango's eyes darkened as they stared directly into Ryusei's.

Honestly, he thought she was a fool for challenging him; but if she wished to die in this way, he would give in to her request.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Sango?" Miroku directly gazed into her eyes with concern and uncertainty.

"If we ever want to discover what lies beyond the barrier, I have to," Sango deadpanned - before she walked several steps forward: and she did so with confidence. She never wanted to appear weak and helpless. Not anymore.

**:3 :3 :3**

It was incredible how much strength Sango had managed to save for the upcoming battle. Miroku always had confidence in Sango, but when it came to physical representations of injuries, he was worried that she would crumble... But she always managed to prove him wrong. She always came out strong.

Yet this time, he didn't feel so relieved. Deep down, for some unfathomable reason, Miroku felt like calamity was about to rise... And that feeling continued to gnaw at him as he watched Sango begin to place an offensive strike, with one sword in her hand, at Ryusei.

Each time she swung her sword in every direction, he always managed to read her moves. And never once, did Ryusei try to make a move against her...

It was as though he planned to tire her out. Given that he had made next to no effort in defending himself. Miroku had to give him the credit for such strength. And considering they were fighting in the dark, Ryusei had the advantage. It became clear to him...

That something was very wrong; Ryusei may very well kill Sango... slowly. There were no hesitations in his graceful dodges and judging from his facial expression, he would have no problem with killing anyone.

"Sango!" Miroku called out, sounding quite worried as he then witnessed Ryusei starting to fight back; the thing was, Miroku was certain he was holding back half of his strength.

Sango was stabbed straight through a shoulder blade, which had been left vulnerable during the fight. Of course, she fell straight to her knees - somewhat impressed by this demon's brute strength. Even she knew as well that he held back... maybe not on her account, but something else made him do so. Sango wiped the blood from her lips as she took a few deep breaths in and out. Her heart rate accelerated as well and she knew right then and now that Ryusei was trying to tire her out. But Sango, as stubborn as she was, was not going to allow him this satisfaction. Not now. Not later.

Then how come her strength felt like it was draining?

Sango bit her lip, drawing more blood, as she heard Miroku's voice enter her ears. But she couldn't acknowledge him now; if she turned her head for one second, Ryusei could kill her, because of the vulnerable spot she would leave open/

But how could this fight almost come to a close? Sure, Sango was not at her full strength, but she should have been able to do her very best to deflect Ryusei's attack. Yet she wasn't able to.

"Fool. I was not even using half of my strength."

Sango would have cursed, but Miroku - who meant everything in the world to her - fled to her side; he wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close to his side.

"Are you working for Takemaru?" Miroku asked without any hesitation.

"If I am, what do you plan to do? Kill me?" Ryusei sneered, before he placed his sword back in his sheath. "Neither one of you has the power or the will to do so. You protect people do you not? Even if you put your values out of reach, how much of your strength would you need to kill me? All of your life."

Sango narrowed her eyes, starting to feel more hatred towards this man. "You think you're better than anyone else?"

"The strong survive. The weak die. That is how things are in this world."

"What could you have to gain from working for Takemaru? Even if what you say is true, he will probably dispose of you in the future," Miroku retorted.

If Miroku had wanted to damage his ego, Ryusei did not show it. Instead, he merely stared into his eyes with next to no emotions.

"Be considerate that I have decided not to kill you insolent pests. Not yet."

**:3 :3 :3**

"Are we all just pests to them?" Sango asked softly, causing Miroku to pause from his duty to gaze straight into Sango's eyes with curiosity. He gently rubbed her arm, careful not to harm her - considering that she had received many injuries as of late.

"Sango, don't worry about what he said." Miroku kissed her forehead lovingly before bandaging up her shoulder. "All you need to worry about is getting better."

"It's just that... for someone who just tried to kill me in the slowest way possible... he let me live."

Miroku looked at her with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I think he has a compassionate heart." Sango had always been one to read people; she didn't know if it was a talent or just something that not just anyone could do. But she knew that she was always right about that person. She could see it in their eyes - which were always a huge indicator.

The rain, which started to fall from the sky only a few moments ago, seemed to drop harder and harder. But neither Miroku nor Sango minded the feel of the cool water touching their skin; in fact, it was pretty much welcomed.

"How do you figure?" Miroku never was the type of person to disagree with Sango without hearing her perspective first. This was another thing that she adored about him tremendously.

"I just have a feeling that he'd lost something important; maybe he was forced into this corrupted life Takemaru set up for him."

"So you think he can be saved?"

"When we were fighting, he held back on his strength. It was like he never really wanted to kill me at all; but I just ignored that. Until now."

"We still must tell Inutaisho about this," Miroku suggested, though his tone was grave and serious. His violet-grey eyes shimmered within the dark and they also conveyed seriousness.

"Then no one else should know. Not Kagome or InuYasha. Not even Sesshomaru, just until we learn more about him." Though Kagome and InuYasha were their friends, Sango couldn't find it inside herself to involve them once more; they should enjoy their happy ending together. They shouldn't have to worry about anything else...

**:3 :3 :3**

**Okay, so there is no Rin and Fluffy romance scene in here. But still; I hope you guys liked it. Otherwise, I'll just bow my head in shame. Please leave a review! I'd love to know what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14: Unbound

**I basically planned this story up to chapter 25, but then I threw all my planning out because I hated every single plot twist I wrote for each chapter. Now I'm just winging it. Hope I'm not doing a terrible job of that! ^_^**

**And of course, there is some Sesshomaru and Rin fluff in this chapter! Hope you guys love it!**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 14: Unbound**

To be truthful with herself, if it weren't for Sesshomaru's company, Rin would most likely be going insane at this moment. Out of all what was going on (emotionally), no one would think to blame Rin for her feelings. Of course she'd prefer Sesshomaru to be with her than the possibility of a mental breakdown. Even so, loneliness was not something that Rin would ever want - though she grew up in a family as such. In Rin's mind, being alone was her second fear - apart from something bad that would happen to her parents. But rest assured, she was more paranoid that calamity would strike rather than fear.

Fear was such a scary word; especially since Rin had to use it in a sentence like that. And she always thought her thoughts made sense, since she spent most of her time reflecting. And she couldn't stop doing it.

Much to Rin's frustration, that was what she always found herself doing. She hated thinking about what could be happening back home. She hated thinking about what the dangers were - that her father had to send her away from. How was that protecting her? Especially if she didn't know how badly the trouble was?

Rin needed a distraction... Thankfully, she knew the way out to the garden - where hundreds of beautiful flowers were waiting to be picked. Out of all the stress-relievers, she found this one to be the most relaxing and the one to make her happy. Sure, she was close to eighteen years of age, but the inner child within her would never go away. If it were up to Rin, she'd never let this part of her fade. If anything cheered her up, it would be flowers...

Not to mention Sesshomaru.

Rin's cheeks burned in embarrassment and her heart, not surprisingly, skipped a beat.

_You're in love with him. And don't say it's just hero-worship; we both know that's not true._

Rin's conscience happened to be hell-bent on getting Rin to admit her so-called feelings for Sesshomaru. It did make sense; she felt calm and content when around him and they did have that heart-to-heart chat the other night. She felt like she was getting closer to him - even if he didn't think so.

Did this mean that she was falling in love?

"_Well… Sesshomaru hasn't really gotten close to anyone apart from you, Rin."_ How was it that every time that Rin looked back on Kagome's conversation with her that Rin managed to blush like an idiot? Rin also had to take into account that she also felt extremely relieved that she was the only one that had the best chance of winning his heart. Great – now she was probably going to start acting giddy like a teenage girl. Okay, she was one, but that was beside the point. The point was, could she truly be the one that captured his heart? Was Rin the first girl that he didn't reject her advances? The hug from the last night proved it, although he didn't reciprocate it. But in all in due time, she was going to make sure that Sesshomaru would be loved. Considering that he didn't reveal much about his past and love had never been an important concept in his life. Rin had a feeling that Sesshomaru wouldn't appreciate it so much that she'd start to 'pity' or feeling sorry for him. At least she had a vague idea about why the guy didn't show any emotion nearly all of the time.

Then it got Rin thinking what Sesshomaru would be like if he showed his true colours; Rin believed that he was capable of love and she knew for certain that she was not going to give up on him. Rin had enough perseverance to see this through until the end.

Out of all the things that she had to reflect upon next was her fiancé. Ryusei. Rin's heart paused, as she thought about the fate her family had planned for her. Ryusei seemed like a nice guy when they met for the first time, but Rin's intuition had reminded her constantly to never let her guard down. She should never judge a person based on their appearance and so this made her cautious. But even if Rin wasn't paranoid about the possibility that Ryusei could be a psycho murderer, would her father have any reason to engage her with such a man? He had to have cared enough for her to marry her to a man who would 'love' and protect her?

Rin shook her head and cringed. She did not even want to think about this anymore. She didn't even want to think about the upcoming meeting between her and Ryusei, who promised that he'd come for her.

She had an awful feeling about the second meeting. Rin would know; her intuition was her best friend and someone that she would always listen to. The voice inside of her head that would tell her right from wrong… the voice inside of her head that thought logically…

How was it that she continued to think that Ryusei was not a good person? It wasn't just her personal hatred for this arranged engagement being the reason for it anymore… it was more than that.

Rin found herself in the garden in next to no time at all and the sunshine, which shone brightly that day, immediately welcomed Rin in its embrace. Rin sighed in content as she walked along the emerald grass toward the flowers that called out to her to pick them.

She hadn't even been there for five minutes when she heard footsteps… Rin smiled; honest to God, she hoped that it was Sesshomaru. She had every reason to think it might be him, since he would never leave her sight (it's his job). And just as she thought to herself before, she was in dire need of his company.

"Here to pick flowers with me?" Rin's voice was full of amusement, but for the most part, she sounded pleased.

"This one is only here to watch over you. That is all." Rin's heartbeat fluctuated and her grin grew larger.

Rin turned around, meeting Sesshomaru's watchful gaze. There he stood before her, not even two feet away, with his arms crossed and his sword at the hip. Rin knew he was supposed to take his job seriously, but did he believe that something was going to happen right at this very moment? A mask of cool indifference covered Sesshomaru's facial features – showing no sentiment.

"Are you sure? You're gonna miss out," Rin sing-sang, attempting to tempt Sesshomaru into spending quality time with her.

_Why don't you just say "I love you" for God's sake?_ For a womanly intuition who Rin was supposed to take seriously could be sarcastic sometimes. Needless to say there were some times in her life that she didn't listen to it.

Sesshomaru continued to stare at her and honestly, Rin couldn't help but think that he rationalized that she was crazy. Okay, maybe picking flowers wasn't everyone's cup of tea. "Or you could just sit beside me," Rin offered, though the smile on her face never left.

It almost made Sesshomaru curious as to how this girl could be so cheerful… though he had contemplated on discussing this with her, he decided to keep it to himself and merely observe. His attraction to the human never subsided – it merely grew, ever since the night when she had embraced him… which had shocked him to no relief. He had never received such affection when he was growing up and had been isolated from affectionate contact – much to his mother's preferred method of parenting. And even though Sesshomaru did not want to become closer to Rin, it was like she could tell that he wanted nothing to do with her, but had no idea why. If she was a demon, she'd be able to tell that Sesshomaru was attracted to her.

At this point, any closeness between the two could not be delayed any further… though Sesshomaru did not consider doing anything about his attraction to Rin. If she wanted to become 'close' to him, would there be any reason to stop her? But there was. She was engaged. And it became painfully obvious to Sesshomaru, over the past few days, that Rin simply hated the fact. He could even smell it on her as well as another familiar feeling. Lust; Attraction. Rin may be very well enamoured with him and quite frankly, Sesshomaru was hesitant about letting her get closer to him… Sesshomaru had always been the type of man who would know exactly what to do in this kind of situation, but this was different. It was different because he never had to protect someone who was coveting him, to put it blandly.

"Sesshomaru? Are you okay?" Rin had noticed that he had to have been deep in thought, as he had never responded to her offer. And the way that he was ogling her had somewhat made her feel uncomfortable… the look in his eyes had to have resembled interest of some sort… maybe it was lust? It wasn't like this stare was unrecognizable to Rin…

"Okay, fine. Stand there if you want," Rin sighed, before she turned her back on Sesshomaru to continue searching for charming perennials to pick.

He was definitely acting strange, Rin noted to herself. Rin was never one to miss the obvious – she could always tell that someone was acting out of character. Sesshomaru was no exception. But could the reason behind his behaviour have something to do with Rin's hug the other night? Rin knew now, since she had come to terms with her feelings, that she didn't regret hugging him. She was a pretty empathetic character and she assumed she was giving him comfort, but maybe Sesshomaru didn't see it that way. He was a demon and she was human: maybe 'hugs' meant differently in his culture? Maybe that was the problem: Rin did want Sesshomaru to be her significant other (as her friendly inside voice told her numerous times) but maybe he wasn't seeing it that way? Maybe he only thought that she wanted to be friends with him. But that shouldn't be the case because Sesshomaru, like all demons, had senses that bested humans. He could hear things that no other human could. He could see in the dark like it was daylight - unlike humans. He could very well smell things that humans probably couldn't pick up. So the main question was, would Sesshomaru be able to tell that she wanted him?

And if so, what would he plan to do about it? Honestly, deep, deep, down, Rin thought that he'd ignore her feelings. Mainly because he probably wouldn't want to afford developing the same feelings of attraction toward her when she was clearly meant for someone else. Or maybe he could just be protecting her from himself; but really, who knew what the real reason would be.

But that was just the first case scenario – where Sesshomaru would reject her and obviously, he'd expect her to get over it quickly. He could very well think that she just wanted attention and that was something that Rin wasn't looking for at all.

The next case scenario was the one where he'd accept her feelings for him and he'd return them with equal passion. Rin had always thought that this would be the ideal fantasy because let's face it – how realistic would it be if he'd instantly kiss her and tell her sweet nothings? **(1)** Rin didn't know what else to say, other than the fact that she'd just love this to happen, but only in her dreams. That was when she could imagine the passion between them… but how would it be in real life? Nope, nope, nope: Rin was done thinking.

She was pretty sure that she would have been able to make a full-length novel, since the time she had come out here had been spent thinking to herself.

It was only a few moments later that Rin realized that he was still gawking at her. Even though she had recognized her feelings for Sesshomaru at this point, this was no excuse for the fact that she found the staring session to be a little creepy.

Rin turned around a second time, not surprised in the least to see that Sesshomaru was still looking at her. She narrowed her eyes, before she asked him (in not so nice a tone), "What are you even looking at? Is there something on my back?"

If Rin didn't know any better, she'd have to say that he was probably taking a good look at her. It's weird though, considering that she was human and pretty sure that Sesshomaru had seen a few of those before in his life. It was like he had never seen her in a white halter top dress before. And yes, she had taken it upon herself to dress in actual clothing and not resorting to continue sleeping in dirty pyjamas.

And apparently, judging from the way Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, she had captured his attention. Good; because she didn't know how much longer she'd have to remain under his penetrating gaze.

"Just sit down. Please. I think we can all adjust to this a little easier if you're not being… creepy." Rin had always found it most effective, when it came to getting what she wanted, was when she acted pretty sassy (for lack of a better term). Not to mention she was kind of looking forward to see how Sesshomaru would react to her attitude, which had been pre developed for her when she was a kid. She was certain that she had acted somewhat like a brat when she was young…

Rin was having trouble not to smirk in victory, as she saw – from the corner of her eye – Sesshomaru sitting cross-legged beside her. And of course he was glaring at her, as though he did not appreciate to be called a creep. Or rather, maybe he just hated it when someone – especially a woman – had to give him orders that were (ironically) related to those given to a dog. Sit, for example, was one order that would obviously come off as a way to piss off a dog demon.

"Wasn't that much easier?" Rin grinned wickedly, gazing amusedly up into Sesshomaru's golden eyes. She should have felt intimidated by his height (he had to have been over six feet), but she felt like she was the one that held all of the cards. But it wasn't like Rin was going to treat him like he was below her: it wasn't in her nature. It was pretty sad to think that there were people in the world that held such unpleasant traits.

"Anyways, onto more important things. Aren't these flowers beautiful?" Rin asked; of course, she didn't expect Sesshomaru to answer. "But I think I like these ones the best," Rin said happily as she lifted three orange flowers and put them near her nose, allowing her to take a deep breath in – inhaling the captivating scent coming from said flowers. Sure, these flowers weren't anything special, but they were her favourite colour.

"Collecting flowers is your favourite duty?" Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I wouldn't say it's a job. But if it was up to me, I'd work in a floral shop," Rin announced, as her eyes went back to the hundreds of flowers that rested in the garden. "There's nothing I'd love better than to give these out to customers. But I also love the meaning behind these flowers. I think that's why I want to work in a shop."

Meaning behind the flowers?

Rin giggled, as she assumed the look on Sesshomaru's face had to be confusion. "When you give a flower to another person, it has meaning. For example, if you give them an iris, I think it's because of their person's personality; I heard one time that irises stand out on a rainy day rather than in the sun."

"If you were to give a flower to a suitor, what would that represent?" Sesshomaru's voice was smooth as butter and Rin was not certain if he was actually interested in hearing what she had to say.

Rin blushed. "Hypothetically speaking? If someone's romantically involved with someone, I'd say roses. But I think that roses are overused nowadays." This girl had an opinion for just about anything.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I'd give someone flowers that are their absolute favourite and hold the most meaning to them. That would make them really happy, I think."

Sesshomaru did not know what to make of this… she had been gazing intently into his eyes, as though she had been hinting for something. In truth, Sesshomaru had spent enough time with her already. But there was something about her that compelled him to think otherwise…

He could see the rosy red blush appearing on her porcelain cheeks and it seemed as though she could tell it happened too, as she turned back to face the flower garden. "Anyway… Ouch!" Rin whimpered.

Rin, who had just held a rose for a moment or two, moaned in silence; she glanced at her finger, which was now bleeding. Considering the blood flow wasn't that terrible, scratching her finger against the thorn of the rose was painful enough for her to whimper out loud. She had never been clumsy, but there were times when common sense had just eluded her. And it was just like her to do something like this in front of Sesshomaru.

"This is what I hate about roses; they have thorns," Rin laughed, trying to pull it off as a joke, but stopped chuckling altogether as she felt Sesshomaru's hand capture her wrist gently.

"W-what are you doing?" Rin asked, as he pulled her wrist up to his lips. She couldn't help but sound nervous; it wasn't every day that Sesshomaru had initiated skin to skin contact. Rin also noted that he was that careful enough to not scrape his deadly sharp claws against her soft skin.

Rin gasped as she felt something warm and wet envelop the tip of her finger. Her cheeks started to burn a deep shade of crimson; she also knew that she had tensed in discomfort yet she couldn't help but appreciate what Sesshomaru was doing for her.

He was a bodyguard, someone to protect her from harm. It was his job.

_Just imagine all the other places where he could lick…_

Rin shrieked, mentally, and tried to wipe the perverted images from her mind. She just couldn't help but think of such intimacy; she was a teenaged girl, after all. Wasn't it normal for them to think about something naughty every once in a while?

"There. You are alright now," Sesshomaru stated, dropping her hand.

"Thanks," Rin said softly, tucking stray bits of hair behind her ear.

_You wish he didn't have to stop!_ The voice cackled in her mind, causing Rin to sign in displeasure. She absolutely hated it when her own conscience had to turn on her like that. It was like she had another person living inside of her.

_I know who you want inside of you…_

Okay, enough with the perverted thoughts and sex dreams. Rin could not allow humiliation to fall over her again. She just had to play it cool.

"You feel conflicted."

Rin's heartbeat slowed down to a nice, steady pace – which was an indication that she was not going to freak out as she thought she was. But she did appreciate the distraction coming from Sesshomaru, even though it was a three-word conversation starter. And then she had to look past those words. Rin wanted to think that he was concerned about her. If any other girl were in her position, they'd be thinking that too.

What Sesshomaru was saying was actually true. When she wasn't in the company of Sesshomaru, Kagome or even her husband InuYasha, Rin had been doing some heavy analyzing of her own. It was true that she had been awfully worried about her family and about her new life she was going to start with Ryusei – something that she did not want to happen ever, but what could she do about it? She said it once and she had to say it again: she felt like she was going to crumble. Every time she tried to write a letter to her family, she couldn't find the write words to express what she wanted to say. Rin just could not find it in her heart to find the words that could really make her family understand what she was going through.

"Is it obvious?" Rin replied, and she already knew the answer to that.

"You hide your troubles; why do you do so?" Considering this was coming from the very same man that refused to pick flowers with her, now he thought he was some psychologist? It really made Rin wonder if he cared: plain and simple. But still - at least it was better for him to ask than to not do it all. It flattered her.

"I just don't want to trouble anyone else. And besides – it's not like I can get out of this life," Rin explained, trying not to sound as though she were complaining. She just had to tough it out; besides, people had worse lives than she did.

"I remember you telling me this once before, did you not?"

"Yeah, but I figured you wouldn't care. I mean… you're just here to protect me; it's not like you're paid to listen to my every day grievances." She meant that last part as a joke, but it seemed as though Sesshomaru didn't think so.

"Stupid."

Rin immediately glared into Sesshomaru's eyes; who was he trying to take her for? Was he trying to tick her off? Why would he call her that? And why would he start judging her for what she was trying to do?

"And how am I stupid?" Rin pouted, crossing her arms in what was supposed to be in an intimidated manner.

"The people you care about worry over you. Do not presume to know that they do not care about your troubles." The glare that she received from Sesshomaru was enough to tell Rin one thing or another.

Was he one of the people that cared for her? He just saying that aloud to her was enough for her heart to stop beating. And he might as well declare his love for her while he was at it!

"Well, I'm sorry if I make people worry. I'm worrying you too… aren't I?" Rin added, her tone of voice sounding gentler. "And I don't mean professionally."

**:3 :3 :3**

**1: Well, it is realistic for you Rin: why else would you be the main star and have Sesshomaru as your romantic interest? XD**

**I know I'm off topic here, but you know what's a hilarious movie? Vampires Suck. **

**If you haven't seen it, see it. It made me laugh so hard and my sides were so sore, they were about to explode. I'm not even kidding. XD**

**Anyways, I know I left it off there – but that's what chapter 15 is for: to continue where I left off! Who knows… maybe there'll be a kiss! ;) **

**I can't promise anything though. **

**Please leave a review! I'd love to know what you think!**


	15. Chapter 15: A Step Forward

**I'm sorry for not updating as recent as I should have, only that I've been through some emotional trauma as of recently. I lost a grandparent and it was the day before my graduation. I couldn't even write because I was so shocked…**

**But I hope you guys will like this chapter! Please – let me know what you think!**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 15: A Step Forward**

Rin's smile returned to her face, and utter delight sparkled in her doe-like eyes; in Sesshomaru's mind, he could only see innocence and purity. Sesshomaru, as much as he disliked acknowledging this, could tell that this girl was irrevocably in love with him. But he could also smell fear in her scent and it was not surprising. Even in today's times, loving a demon, if one was human, was not common; there were still those who believed in keeping their race pure and free from tainted human blood. Sesshomaru himself actually believed this… But she was intent on making him feel different. Considering that he never once opened his heart to others and he always sheltered himself from emotion.

"It's alright. You don't have to tell me. Besides – just from the way you're ogling me, I'm thinking you think I'm gorgeous," Rin batted her full eyelashes in Sesshomaru's direction, as her chocolate brown eyes lit up with more joy than before.

It was at that point in time when Sesshomaru noticed that Rin had sat next beside him. There was no doubt that she wanted to be closer to him… he should have seen the signs from the very beginning. But he ignored them; his pride told him that they meant nothing to him. This girl meant nothing to him.

But in time, in the slowest way possible, had progressed; much to Sesshomaru's chagrin, he had found himself captivated by this human. Everything about her had caught his attention and he was tempted to take her for himself. His beast was no doubt encouraging him, but Sesshomaru hesitated. Falling for a human had been against everything that he believed in…

Rin, however, took Sesshomaru's silence as a definitive yes. Her grin grew wider before her gaze went back to her flowers. _Take another step forward,_ her self-conscience encouraged, causing Rin to face another decision. _Lie down on his lap!_

Sure, this was an intimate position, but was Rin comfortable with doing it? Since she had proclaimed to herself that she had feelings for Sesshomaru, as well as the fact that Kagome knew about them as well, what was the harm in doing it? It wasn't like she'd get killed – which of course was not the greatest thought of motivation, but it would do.

And so, before Sesshomaru could even notice, Rin quickly laid her head down on his lap. Of course her cheeks were burning a dark shade of crimson and her heart was soaring, but Rin actually liked the feel of him underneath her. She blinked slowly, waiting patiently (maybe) for Sesshomaru to object, yet in a few moments – probably minutes – she heard no complaint coming from her bodyguard.

She relaxed a little, knowing that Sesshomaru would never say anything that would discourage her. He was aware to her affections already, wasn't he?

"You are so comfy," Rin admitted, as she nestled further on his lap. She sighed in relaxation and in delight… and there was a little feeling of hope that took hold of her heart, as she could swear that she felt a clawed hand rest gently on her waist. "They should have named you Fluffy at birth," Rin joked, as she turned on her back to gaze adoringly into honey-due eyes. And that very same feeling of hope that tugged on her heart earlier grew, as the stare that he reciprocated held the same affection.

"Rin." Rin's heart skipped several beats as she widened her eyes. She knew her ears were not failing her, but she was surprised to finally hear Sesshomaru use her name… And the way that he said it wasn't with hatred, but with love.

"Yes?" She breathed out, hardly able to contain her breath. A plethora of emotions ran through her at this moment: joy, astonishment, curiosity… just to name a few.

Rin swore that she was going to faint the moment she felt one of his hands place itself on her right cheekbone. She could feel its coldness enter her skin, but it wasn't as though Rin didn't enjoy it. A tingle of delight cascaded down her spine as his claws brushed her skin, but did not come to harm her.

"Do not lose that smile. Not to anyone else." Sesshomaru's words puzzled her immensely; did he mean to her fiancé? Did this mean he didn't want her to look at anyone else the same way she looked at him?

"Well, I'm going to have to smile for Ryusei, won't I?" Rin pouted, though she was half-joking and half-serious. However, much to Rin's surprise once again, Sesshomaru's eyes darkened. It was like he was not even considering the idea of Rin marrying Ryusei.

_Looks to me that he's jealous, _Rin thought, but in reality, she didn't know what to make of it.

"I trust that you're not going to kill me for saying that?" Rin giggled, as Sesshomaru's gloomy expression turned to one of confusion.

"I have no intention of killing you," Sesshomaru replied simply, but Rin could tell that he never quite understood the 'joke' that Rin had dropped on him.

"Nice to know that you can keep your word on that; you did promise to protect me after all," Rin – after five or ten minutes on lying down on Sesshomaru's lap – decided to sit up. She did so with grace, which not even Rin knew she possessed, that even Sesshomaru couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Do not take those words lightly," Sesshomaru warned.

"I know that you meant them," Rin answered, nodding her head in understanding. "But it's just…"

She wished that he could trust her more. There were still times when he looked cool and collected, sure that's part of the job, but there was no danger coming. And Rin was confident in Sesshomaru's abilities to protect her. Even if something went wrong, right?

"Anyway… you know, I meant to ask you something the other night. Would you ever want a family?" Rin wondered out loud, her curiosity shining through her eyes. "I know I want to someday, but I just want to be with the one I love to have that family, you know?"

Sesshomaru hesitated, knowing that he was unsure whether or not to even answer her. He knew that he would want an heir to carry on after him, but he had a distinct feeling that was not what Rin wanted to know.

For the past five hundred years, settling down and choosing a mate was far from a priority in Sesshomaru's mind. He had only been seeking power and anything else had been a distraction.

It felt as though he had to give a direct answer to Rin, who was practically eager upon learning more about him. A part of him did not want to answer, seeing that it was none of her business, but another part of him did not want to disappoint her.

And another thing had popped up in his mind; imagining Rin with children… Sesshomaru had vaguely pictured him being in the picture… as her mate. He did not know what to make of that just yet, but he knew he did not like the idea of Rin bearing Ryusei's children. Just the thought of Rin being in love with Ryusei, which was out of the question – considering that he had smelled resentment on her – but the thought crossed his mind.

It was easy to say at this point that Sesshomaru was developing feelings for Rin. She was one of the few people that he could tolerate and she was certainly not like other humans.

"Are you feeling alright, Sesshomaru?" Rin crumpled her eyebrows, as a worried and confused expression was written all over her face. "You haven't said any words to me and you kind of look like you need rest."

"There is no need for you to be concerned."

If only Rin could find the heart to believe him…

**:3 :3 :3**

At some point in the day, Rin found herself having another heart to heart chat with Kagome – who pretty much insisted on keeping her company. Sesshomaru, however, had no doubts about leaving Rin alone for the meantime and she was sure he was off doing some business somewhere. And who knew what he could be doing, since Rin was never bothered with the specific details.

"This is so delish," Kagome moaned in delight, as she spun her fork around in her ramen noodles and (not with much subtlety) stuffed her recently prepared food in her mouth.

Rin blinked, before she took another sip of her water that Kagome had recently given her – much to Kagome's insistence that she was a guest and had to be treated like one. Rin, once again, wondered if Kagome knew of her real identity, but she was all the more relieved to find out that if Kagome did know, she wouldn't treat her any differently. It truly made Rin thankful that she met such a wonderful person, but regrettable that she didn't meet her in her hometown.

Now that Rin thought about it, she wasn't as homesick as she was before. It had only been what – four days? Five days since she had come here? Sure, she used to pretend to hold in the cries at night, but it wasn't as bad anymore. But much to Rin's annoyance, the paranoia was still there. She still couldn't help but feel that something was going to happen… She didn't exactly reveal her personal feelings to Kagome, as she already had enough troubles to deal with (Rin was sure of that). And even if she did, Kagome would be hell-bent on helping her. Plus, she didn't want Kagome to stress out on helping her, as it would probably not be good for her baby.

Rin smiled, although it was a small one. She was happy for Kagome to have a family – InuYasha seemed to be the perfect guy for her, even if they fought fifty percent of the time. She knew that Kagome would be a doting mother and their baby would most likely be the most spoiled, precious being out there.

Rin herself always wanted a family. Now that she thought about it, she did kind of want a lot of children… but each and every one of them would receive the equal amount of love. One child was simply not enough in Rin's opinion.

"Rin? Do I have to be worried about the look on your face?" Kagome asked, gazing concernedly – but there was some hints of amusement in her eyes – toward Rin.

"Don't worry, I'm not a serial killer," Rin rolled her eyes, though the grin on her face grew wider.

"You could be, you know. Just wear a pair of dark sunglasses and you'll be set."

"I'm pretty sure good mothers aren't supposed to expose their unborn children to such things."

"Well, my baby is going to be exposed to seeing her uncle for the first time," Kagome snorted and immediately, Rin couldn't help but burst into giggles.

"You're still set on having a daughter, aren't you?" Rin raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Kagome sure was stubborn when she wanted to be and it seemed like her pregnancy hormones were strengthening her resolve to not think she was having a boy.

"If we have a boy, guess what: too much male testosterone." Rin knew that Kagome was not serious when she said that; she knew that she would love her child regardless of gender.

"And you're sure you're not expecting twins?" Rin joked. She could only imagine the 'horror' if that happened. Now that she thought about it, Rin would love to have twins; one girl and one boy. Maybe. Twin boys sounded like they could be a hassle and twin girls… Rin wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle them either.

"As much as InuYasha would love that, no we are not."

"I can just imagine mini-InuYasha's running around the house," Rin snickered in delight, and it wasn't as though she was dishonest about that.

"Well what about you? Are you finally going to get a bun in the oven with Sesshomaru?" Kagome deliberately decided to take the teasing off of her, though it felt good to have some belly laughs. But it wasn't in Kagome's character to keep the subject of discussion on herself for a very long period of time. In her opinion, it sounded conceited.

Rin blushed with embarrassment and she was pretty sure her cheeks were staining a darker shade of red than she ever had in her entire life. "What is wrong with you?" She hissed. "It is so not like that."

"I can tell that he loves you, you know. Just say the word and he'll be there."

"Well… I don't know if he loves me," Rin confessed.

Kagome widened her eyes and at once she stopped eating, finding that whatever Rin was about to say was more important than feeding her unborn baby. "Did something happen?" Judging by the somewhat overwhelmed look on Rin's face, this appeared to be more obvious in her eyes, Kagome knew that something did develop between the two of them.

"Oh my God, something DID happen!" Kagome squealed too loud for Rin's liking. "Did he tell you he loved you? I knew he would. Why did you have to doubt that?"

"No, he did not tell me he loved me." Rin gave Kagome a questionable stare. She didn't want to disappoint Kagome in terms of revealing her love life, but sometimes, Rin wanted to keep some things to herself. Even if Sesshomaru did confess his 'love' for her, would Rin even want to tell Kagome?

"But he did touch my cheek and told me not to lose my smile. Not to anyone else." Rin couldn't believe she admitted this; her heart was pounding and she was certain that the blood was flowing to her head.

"Seems to me that he's falling hard for you," Kagome smirked.

"I doubt it," Rin sighed; yes, there was a part of her that still thought that it was unlikely that Sesshomaru wanted to give her his affections. "From what I've guessed, he doesn't want anything to do with humans."

"He's protecting you, Rin. Don't take what he said to you so lightly."

Rin scoffed. "I know." Her arms fell to her sides, and she could feel her hands crumple into fists. "But I don't know what to do about any of this. I just can't tell him what I feel…" She was scared that Sesshomaru would reject her. She was scared of Sesshomaru telling her that she was engaged… "Ryusei is coming to visit me, right?"

Kagome pulled Rin in a comforting embrace. "You don't need to worry about him right now."

**:3 :3 :3**

If there had been anyone that InuYasha had trusted more so than Kagome, it had to be his two closest friends. Keh. Sesshomaru, his half-brother, was without a doubt an asshole. Inutaisho, for the most part, had earned InuYasha's trust, but the two of them were not as close as one would make them out to be. In their family, none of them were as close as they had built a wall between themselves long ago… not since five hundred years ago did any of them feel like they were family.

But if there was anyone to blame for the lack of happiness within said 'family', it had to have been Takemaru's doing. In fact, this was the bastard (even more so than Sesshomaru; not that InuYasha would admit it out loud) was responsible for nearly tearing apart Izayoi from Inutaisho. This had occurred not too fucking long before InuYasha's birth.

InuYasha ran fingers through his ivory hair, contemplating on what he had to do. On what he must do. He knew that his fucking headache – which hurt like hell to begin with – would not go away soon; so this put a huge damper on his mood. And of course he tried his very best not to take it out on his beloved, pregnant wife – who so happened to have a temper that equalled his own, if not greater.

InuYasha stared into the darkness of his room. Good thing that he didn't put any windows in it, much to his wife's curiosity and annoyance. So what if he didn't enjoy the morning sunlight shining into his room? So what if he thought that the noise of birds chirping was just that? Over time, Kagome did learn to accept that his appendages did exceed over a human's.

InuYasha's hands instinctively crumpled into fists and his anger was far from subsiding.

He had a fucking bad feeling about this…

Ever since Miroku and Sango had revealed to him about what happened last night – consisting of their ambush and their rendezvous with Ryusei. The worst part of it was, as you may have guessed, was that he had shared the same name as the Emperor's daughter's fiancé. One could say that this was coincidence.

But InuYasha would say that this was bullshit.

How could he have not seen this before? How could he have not the faintest idea that Ryusei – the very guy that was engaged to the daughter of the Emperor of Japan – was the very person that worked for Takemaru?

In a fit of rage, he managed to break three vases, containing Kagome's irises that he had given her for their anniversary, and one coffee cup. And InuYasha still didn't manage to calm down.

Luckily, his cell phone rang – interrupting his thoughts.

InuYasha didn't have to take three guesses of who it could be. He snarled, "What is it?" He was in absolutely no mood to deal with any of this crap right now. But hey – the faster that they could catch this lunatic, the better.

"I take it that Sango has informed you about the circumstances of their attack?" Inutaisho said coolly, as though he weren't surprised of his youngest son's attitude.

"Yeah. I can't say I'm too surprised that it was Ryusei all along." It was a lie; it did take InuYasha by surprise that Ryusei was the man behind it.

"It was Takemaru's doing, InuYasha."

"I don't need to be told that," InuYasha replied – his tone snarky.

"Takemaru will be brought to justice; I will assure you that, my son."

"I would like it if his ass is handed over to us on a steel platter before the day my child is born," InuYasha sighed. "It's been five hundred years and we still couldn't get him."

"Does Sesshomaru know of this?"

"No. I haven't told the bastard yet."

"It is better for all of us if he does not know. Not yet."

**:3 :3 :3**

**This chapter was rated M because of InuYasha's foul language. Silly puppy that he is. ^_^**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I promise I'll try to update soon! Just leave a review, okay?**


	16. Chapter 16: Never Return

**Final exams. What a pain. (Rolls eyes) **

**I hope you guys like this chapter! ^_^**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 16: Never Return**

May 23rd. That was the date; it was the date that Rin had to memorize completely since the day she was born. That day, in actual fact, was her birthday. And Rin – who was never usually excited about it since she was a child – was positively ecstatic. Even though it was a step closer to be married to Ryusei, Rin ignored that reminding voice in her mind. She cleared all negative thoughts and focused only what was going on now. It was not every day she was turning seventeen years old. And in all honesty, she didn't feel like she was older at all: she still felt like the trapped little girl, who was forced into a life she never wanted. But Rin had to remind herself once more that she could not feel sorry for herself anymore.

But this one was indeed different; today her birthday won't be spent in a completely different place, with new people in her life. Rin had accepted that, even though she was feeling a little bit uneasy. Maybe it was because Kagome insisted on the huge celebration, maybe it was because she insisted on inviting her fiancé Ryusei (which was more reason enough to get anxious about), or maybe it was because Sesshomaru was going to see her in this ridiculous dress.

Now don't get her wrong – she loved it. But for once, Rin would have wanted to celebrate her birthday in a private manner. But as it turned out, her wishes were ignored completely. Somehow, Rin wanted to get revenge on Kagome.

Could this even qualify as a dress? It was a burgundy dress that hugged her body completely and stopped right at her knees. It was strapless, and that made Rin feel like her chest was even more exposed.

But at least she was going to wear flats. At least she was having her hair down. At least Rin had some say in her appearance.

Though altogether it did not stop Rin's heart from beating swiftly against her chest. It did not stop her breathing from coming out calm and collected. She was far from being calm and anyone else in a twelve mile radius would think so too.

She should not be so stoked for this party in the first place.

"Rin? Are you ready?" Kagome, who actually thought it was okay to exploit her like this, popped her head in the doorway with a hopeful expression. For someone who thought she was a good person, and in truth Kagome was one of the nicest people that Rin had the pleasure to meet, Kagome apparently thought it was a good idea to invite a whole bunch of people. And Rin was half-hoping this would be a private party.

But the thought of having Sesshomaru nearby calmed her down to the point of her heart beating regularly again.

And then, for some odd reason, she had to envision the sight of Ryusei – which made no matters better for her situation. Knowing Rin and her tendency to act nervous, upon instinct, she might as well feign throwing up and skip the whole party. She wanted to stay low from danger; what Kagome was doing was not something that entirely agreed with Rin. This was what she got from looking forward to this party

"You didn't have to do this," Rin smiled weakly, trying to sound humble and modest, but it turned out to be just the opposite. She wasn't fooling anyone with the look on her face right now.

"I wanted to, silly. Besides – might as well have a party before the baby's born; I've never gotten to see many of my friends for a long time now." Rin also had a feeling that this party was going to turn from Rin's birthday to Kagome's baby shower.

"But Rin, when is the next time you'll celebrate your birthday like this?" Rin had a slight feeling that Kagome was referring to the fact that when she was going to be married to Ryusei, she wouldn't be doing stuff like this; she was well aware that Ryusei had come from a pretty conservative family.

"Never," Rin sighed heavily, starting to feel depleted of hope.

"Just imagine what Sesshomaru will think of you in that dress," Kagome winked, as she also threw a smirk in Rin's direction.

Rin couldn't help but blush, suddenly pondering on the thought of whether or not she'd be beautiful enough to capture Sesshomaru's attention. But considering how he had been staring at her lately, for the past couple of weeks, Rin had to assume that he had some sort of feelings for her. She had never given much thought to how to make him interested; if she happened to make him ogle her this evening, then Rin obviously succeeded.

Rin parted her lips, before asking her friend, "So where's InuYasha? I haven't seen him around for a while."

There was no doubt that Kagome missed InuYasha; for the past two weeks, InuYasha had been gone – for some mysterious reason – and Kagome had seemed to be down about something. Maybe the two of them had an argument? Whatever had happened, Kagome looked pretty worried whenever Rin could glance at her, without getting caught.

Kagome sighed. "He got a call from his father. Something bad happened. But that's all I know."

Rin blinked. "Is he like, a secret spy or something?"

Kagome cracked a smile, slightly amused by the choice of Rin's words. "That's one way to put it, I guess. Whenever Inutaisho calls, he has a mission for him."

Rin tried not to pry into personal matters, but it looked like Kagome needed someone to unload their troubles unto: she looked like she needed someone to listen. Rin knew exactly what that felt like; having no one nearby to listen to how she felt, living as the Emperor's daughter. Kagome was always around when Rin needed to talk to her – specifically on the matters of her being engaged to Ryusei, so Rin knew she had to return the favour as a good friend.

"Have you heard from your friends?"

Kagome had told Rin about Miroku and Sango, who also worked in the same field as InuYasha. Rin would have liked Sango and vice versa. Sango, who also had a tough past, would have related to how Rin had now felt. Heck, Rin would have looked up to her as an independent and strong woman. Kagome reminded herself to introduce the two sometime, whenever Sango got back from her mission: with Miroku of all people. Miroku was a nice guy, but not someone you should take on missions with (that was, if you were a woman), because of his alleged curse. Truth was, he was a pervert. And if he ever would make a move on Rin, which he actually would (if the opportunity presented itself), Sesshomaru would most likely tear off his arm. Kagome noticed how protective Sesshomaru was lately about Rin. Especially in the past two weeks.

In fact, she shouldn't even be surprised if the two of them fell in love. In Kagome's opinion, she believed that people had the right to marry the ones they love: not someone that made their parents happy. Kagome could always tell that Rin was unhappy with this agreement and secretly, she was rooting for her to stand up for her beliefs.

"All I know is that they should be coming back soon," Kagome replied.

"Well don't give up hope regardless. They can take care of themselves, right?"

"You're right. I shouldn't be even troubling you with this," Kagome shook her head feverishly, as though it was the only way to get rid of all the worries she had cluttered in her mind.

"No, no, it's fine. I haven't talked to anyone in a while," Rin admitted.

In the past month or so since she had started to live here, Rin thought of it as her home… InuYasha was practically like an older brother, although sometimes he could be quite an asshole, Kagome was almost like a supportive, older sister (and let's face it, they kind of look alike) and Sesshomaru… what could be classified as? Friend? No – how about… boyfriend? If only that were true: then she wouldn't have to worry about arranged marriages.

"Don't you mean two weeks?" Kagome raised an eyebrow in disbelief, as she crossed her arms.

"Fine. It's been two weeks since I've talked to anyone sane around here," Rin rolled her eyes, sarcastically, as Kagome snickered in amusement.

"I shouldn't distract you anymore; I think it's really starting to take a hold on my health."

For someone who loved to help others, Kagome could sure act the opposite sometimes.

**:3 :3 :3**

The party itself was supposed to take place outside in the garden, much to Rin's delight. The one thing that could cheer her up immensely was flowers, to no one's surprise, so she did feel a little better about the crap load of people that showed up to celebrate Rin's birthday. Rin trusted those around her, since Kagome had told her explicitly that these people were her friends. Okay, so it wasn't a LOT of people, but more than Rin would have guessed.

Rin shouldn't judge a person based on their appearance, which made her appear to be a little paranoid and guarded. She gave smiles to those who smiled at her first, and she could tell that they genuinely meant them. It also made her feel a little less cautious to know that half of these people were not actually demons. There was no way any of them would ever hurt her, right?

As Rin took a breath of fresh air, she immediately relaxed as the scent of jasmine and roses permeated through the air. Everywhere she looked, iridescent flowers sprung up all over the place and it reminded her of her own personal paradise. The only thing missing was a waterfall, much to Rin's disappointment, but she got over that quickly. The Majestic trees stood tall and proud, as they provided both beauty and privacy to those who needed it.

It had been ten minutes since Rin made her official appearance as a seventeen year old girl, who was exactly one year short of becoming an adult. And in those ten minutes, she had flaunted herself to most of the guests, who practically made her feel even more welcome. Particularly one guest and his name was Shippo. He was a fox demon; he was the same age as her, and he truly was a nice boy. With emerald green eyes that shone innocence and happiness, as well as hair as red as tiger lilies, Shippo was sure to be a catch with the ladies. Then there was the fact that he liked to show off, like any other boy would do for a pretty girl.

At least Rin had made one new friend that evening.

But the one person who she had yet to see was Sesshomaru, and it kind of made her worry.

"Rin," Ryusei's voice prompted Rin out of her thoughts; she blinked, noting her fiancé standing before her in a suit and tie, with a cheerful sparkle in his eyes. His smile was just as warm, and Rin didn't know how she should feel about that.

"Oh. Hi, Ryusei, you startled me," Rin giggled sheepishly. However, her girlish laugh was stopped the moment Ryusei kissed Rin's palm. Now she REALLY didn't know how to feel about that. Tense, maybe?

"I apologize for that. And I wish you a happy birthday."

"Thank you," Rin said softly, as her cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink.

It was only a few seconds later did she feel something cling to her wrist; she lifted her arm up and gasped, noting a silver bracelet was now added to her bare limb. To be honest, it was quite beautiful; and as Rin took a closer look, she could have sworn that it was a diamond bracelet. It made Rin question whether if it was a birthday present or a courting gift. And it was now that she acknowledged the fact she had never felt more uncomfortable in her entire life.

"Would you like a drink?"

"If it isn't too much trouble, sure," Rin nodded her head, somewhat thankful that for whatever time she had left to herself, it wasn't with Ryusei.

The moment Ryusei went straight back to the front yard, where drinks and food were being served, Rin sighed. It was quite ironic; she had never been one to like being alone, but it was at that moment when she just needed some time for herself.

She just needed to think. Two weeks had passed by before Rin even knew it; and it wasn't like she had paid close enough attention to the calendar. The only things she noticed during that time had been Sesshomaru's glances. Ever since he had vowed to protect her, it seemed like he was doing more than that. And ever since then, she couldn't help but think about him all the time, compared to the days before that he was on her mind only half the time.

She was definitely in love with Sesshomaru. If Rin wasn't so quick to judge, she might even think that he'd be in love with her too. She could definitely tell the way he looked at her sometimes wasn't out of spite (definitely not out of spite), but out of devotion. But it frustrated Rin to the core that he looked away the moment he caught her staring at him with curiosity.

Rin also knew for certain that Kagome was encouraging her to act on her feelings. Sometimes, only sometimes, did she ever see a hopeful sparkle in Kagome's eyes: she could pretty much tell that Kagome wished her the best with Sesshomaru. And this only happened whenever they talked about the cold, distant dog demon. Well, Rin wouldn't exactly call him distant; he was far from that whenever he was with her. He just preferred silence over uncomfortable conversations. And really, Rin actually preferred that too. After all, who would like awkward get-togethers than nice and peaceful silence?

Rin, not for the first time that evening, sighed, as she gazed up into the sky: where the stars were starting to make their appearance. The stars always intrigued Rin; they were beautiful, matching the midnight blue sky perfectly, and they (in Rin's opinion) revealed their secrets to her. Not in the literal sense, but if one were to be in Rin's shoes right now, they'd understand what she meant. And sometimes, Rin wished she was a star: she'd be far away, she'd glow and she wouldn't have to worry about fading away for a very long time.

"Why are you not happy?"

Rin's heartbeat fluctuated; her eyes widened in astonishment and shock, but mostly surprise, as she turned around to face the man – demon – she was looking forward to seeing that night.

Her first thought of Sesshomaru – he was gorgeous. But now her second thought, after seeing him dressed in an onyx suit, white dress shirt and a black tie, was completely different: he was incredibly handsome. Especially since his silver locks were tied up in a high ponytail and his golden eyes glowed. Rin knew that his cheek markings stood out, now that his hair was out of the way. And Rin still had to resist the urge of touching his markings.

"Sesshomaru," Rin greeted; her tone of voice much more cheerful and ecstatic than before. But her heart was still beating like crazy, much to her annoyance.

"Do you not feel comfortable?"

Rin blinked, before a sudden feeling of gratitude and confusion started to overwhelm her. She felt gracious toward him for acting like he cared, but she was confused; had Sesshomaru seen her with Ryusei? If the jealous look on his face wasn't a sign, Rin didn't know what was. "Did you see me with Ryusei? Because this is a TOTAL misunderstanding; it's not like I'm uncomfortable with you." She better get a freaking hold on herself before she acted like an idiot.

"He makes you uncomfortable?" If he was jealous, as Rin assumed he was, he wasn't exactly showing it through his tone of voice. But she knew the mask he held in place was barely able to hold; she could see it in his eyes.

"Of course. I know he's been real nice to me, but he didn't have to get me this bracelet, which probably cost a fortune to someone like him."

Rin stared into the depths of gold, and nearly gasped at what she saw. At once she immediately knew that Sesshomaru was jealous; it was like he was finally showing her his emotions. "He gave you a bracelet?" And judging by how angry he sounded, Rin couldn't help but jump to conclusions.

Rin would have said something in return, but she stood still, as Sesshomaru grabbed her wrist – gently – and took his own observations of the piece of jewellery.

"I didn't know if it was a birthday present or…" A courting gift, as Rin would have said, but Sesshomaru knew what she meant.

Rin sucked in a breath as Sesshomaru began to smell her palm. As much as she enjoyed the feel of his warm breath on her skin, she couldn't help but wonder why he was doing this. And it wasn't like he acknowledged what she said earlier; he looked like he was in a deep trance.

"Sesshomaru?"

It was at that point when he pulled back, with a blank look on his face. It was at that point that he had to stop what he was doing; his self-control, which he kept in check for years, was failing. His beast was practically rejoicing at the sight of Rin… in her tight rouge dress.

"Do you love him?"

Rin blinked, taking a few moments to digest Sesshomaru's words – and their true meaning. She pursed her lips, suddenly feeling irritated. He was a dog demon wasn't he? Couldn't they have heightened senses that told them what they wanted to know? Did, for one minute, he actually think that Rin was in love with Ryusei? But then again… it wasn't as though that was Sesshomaru's voice. She took another glance at his eyes, which were starting to turn red.

Maybe… maybe he needed a reassurance; maybe he was the one that wasn't comfortable with Rin having feelings for someone else. Maybe he just needed to know that Rin only had feelings for him.

"I told you that he made me uncomfortable. Did you actually think I LOVE him – after what I've been through?" Rin retorted.

"If that is the case…" Sesshomaru caressed her wrist gently with his fingers, before he got up on his feet… and walked away. Rin did not exactly enjoy the tone of voice that he used with her; it sounded so threatening…

"Wait a minute! Aren't you forgetting something?" Rin wasn't one to beg for attention, but she allowed Kagome to dress her like this; to make him see that she was decent… that she was a good looking woman. What was the worst that could happen? It was highly unlikely he'd tell her she was ugly, right? Not after the stunt he just pulled!

"You outshine the stars and the moon itself. Have you no idea?" Rin knew that was the closest thing she heard to a compliment, and she smiled at that. She didn't know where he was going to now, but she knew she could stand the party. She could spend the rest of the evening daydreaming about her love life, which seemed to blossom lately.

"Get a sweater. It will be cold soon."

Oh yeah. He definitely cares.

**:3 :3 :3**

**This chapter was hard to write at first, but… I think it turned out nicely. And the romance is going to continue people; the next chapter may or may not be Sesshomaru's and Rin's first kiss! ^_^**

**Please leave a review, my darlings; I'd love to know what you think!**


	17. Chapter 17: Best To Let Me Know

**School is done for me – and summer is about to begin! :D I hope you are just as excited as I am! XD**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 17: Best to Let Me Know**

_If that is the case… _In all honesty here, Sesshomaru was an enigma. But to put it in better, more descript terms, he was a mystery; Rin could not figure him out. It was safe enough to say that for the rest of the party, his words continued to play nonstop inside of her head. It was really frustrating because firstly, she couldn't concentrate on anything else and secondly, she would receive no answer key to it. But what really ticked Rin off at that point was that he never revealed to her what he meant. What did he mean by that? It was like he was going to say something, but thought against it.

Rin honestly thought he was going to encourage her to not marry Ryusei. From his tone of voice, he sounded quite upset about it. He just had to be jealous… Why else would he say those things to her? And the fact that Sesshomaru practically told her that she was more beautiful than the stars – this was proof enough that he cared for her; even though he barely used words to convey his emotions.

Rin knew that he was capable to love; she thought that people deserved to have someone special for them, and that they also deserved happiness. When it came to Sesshomaru, she could tell that he never had any special feelings for anyone; well, he did tell her that one time that he had no desire to have a family. But maybe she could help him change his mind? Maybe she was already doing her part on convincing him.

And all she had to do was show it; she didn't have to tell him that she loved him, obviously, but she could convey her feelings through actions. Aren't pictures supposed to be worth a thousand words?

"Have a wonderful evening, Rin," Ryusei said, his tone laced with impatience and not so much genuine happiness; probably because he had long given up on maintaining a conversation with her. She knew that for the past five minutes Ryusei had tried to talk with her, but her mind was on different things. "You look beautiful as the day I first met you." And the fact that his compliment wasn't so much as real as Sesshomaru's had been didn't make so much of an impression out of Rin.

"Goodbye," Rin replied, without any sort of emotion, but at least she was aware that she would not have to interact with Ryusei for the rest of the evening.

But a chilling feeling started to cascade down her spine, as he walked past her, with a gruesome look sparkling in his dark eyes… The moment that Ryusei had left her alone, that feeling was gone; which, in Rin's perspective, was weird – beyond anything else. What was that feeling? She hoped that she was not going to feel paranoid about this, but after rationalizing over and over again that terrible things had happened to her ever since she was engaged to Ryusei, something bad was clearly going to happen. And really, at this point, how much worse could things get?

"Rin? Are you alright?" Kagome inquired, as she sauntered up to the younger girl with a concerned expression. Rin noticed that Kagome was cradling her stomach, as the look on her face turned from sheer concern to anxiety. It was not until a few moments later that her skin was starting to turn pale.

"I should be asking you that," Rin replied, trying to put her own troubles and fears for the future out of her head.

"It's nothing. Just the baby," Kagome groaned, while rubbing her belly in an attempt to maybe calm her child down. The fact was, nothing that she could ever do would make pregnancy any easier. After all she was seven months along and was gradually getting closer to her due date. "I think I'm actually going to have a boy; a little girl certainly can't have this much punch," Kagome grumbled.

"Just think when you have to give birth to him," Rin giggled, while turning around to face the angelic moon – which shone with such beauty; it truly made Rin wonder if Sesshomaru was right about her being even more beautiful than that… Then again, there were some times when Rin doubted what he did; he didn't have to talk – his actions said it all out loud.

If only he could just tell her what he meant… She knew that he would never lie to her; why say things if he didn't mean them? Sure, if Sesshomaru just told her upfront what he thought about her, and depending on what he would say, the truth could hurt. But at least he'd be honest about that.

"Don't even get me started on that. I don't even want to think about it." Kagome shuddered, and cringed, just picturing the moment when she would bring her adorable bundle of joy into the world. "But enough of my troubles; I almost haven't seen you all night. What did you think of your party?"

As much as Rin wanted to say she enjoyed having her chocolate cake, blowing out the candles, meeting tons of other people (of which there was a slight possibility she'd ever see again), she had to say that wishing for true love took the cake. True love was not something that she really yearned for before, but since weeks passed since she had begun to stay here, her heart wanted something better. Wasn't it every little girl's dream to marry a Prince Charming and run away to live a happily ever after?

"It was okay," Rin admitted, half-shrugging, half-sighing, in relief. It actually turned out to be alright and honestly, the worst thing that could have happened was talking to Ryusei: which, again, gave her a foreboding feeling.

_People aren't who they appear to be, _a voice whispered cautiously in the depths of Rin's mind; whether or not if it was intentionally trying to scare her, it half-worked.

"So did you see Sesshomaru? Lookin' pretty fine, didn't he?" Kagome winked, as she clicked her tongue in what it seemed to be a provocative manner. Kagome could just blame it on pregnancy hormones and InuYasha didn't have to know a thing about it. But since Kagome was his wife and everything, what she would do and wouldn't do would probably concern him.

"Yeah…" Rin murmured, trying to fight the blush that was gradually appearing on her cheekbones. Why was it that Kagome had to remind her about her attraction for Sesshomaru? It was like she had nothing better to do until her baby's born…

"Did you tell him that you love him?" Rin considered how Kagome's personality would have been, if it were not for the fact that she's pregnant.

"Why is that such a big deal?" Rin sighed heavily, throwing Kagome an annoyed glare.

_Why would Sesshomaru want a human like you? Just because you're the Emperor's daughter doesn't change the fact that you're weak to him… _For some reason, that doubting voice – filled with hatred –didn't affect her as much as she originally thought. It wasn't like Rin didn't have thoughts about it. But did he actually think she was worthy enough to be with him? And why was Rin even thinking about this?

Just because Kagome had found her happiness with InuYasha didn't mean that Rin would find hers with Sesshomaru; as much as she loved him, there was so much that separated the two. Rin couldn't care what others thought of her – she knew she shouldn't. But there would be so many people judging her on her choice of guys, and somehow, that just hurt her deep inside. Then there was difference in lifestyles; Rin could only live for a limited time while Sesshomaru… he can just live for several more centuries. And if she died, she wouldn't want him to be moping…

"It's a big deal because he loves you back. Obviously he doesn't want you to get married to Ryusei." What did Kagome know that Rin didn't? What did she see in Sesshomaru she didn't?

"I'm just human." Just the way Rin said it made Kagome want to slap her silly.

"What is the problem with that? Sure, there are people who can't accept that, but it's none of their damn business, right?"

"I just love how your hormones get in the way of cheering me up."

"You're not the first person who said that. Trust me."

**:3 :3 :3**

At this point, of any given day, Sesshomaru would have just walked away. Or at least, he should have been angry that he admitted such a weakness… But was it really a weakness? His conscience told him that humans were weak insects, but his beast begged to differ. What did it matter if he suffered a little attraction to her? But what Sesshomaru didn't know was that from the start, it would be more than just an attraction.

His beast wanted to claim Rin; and Sesshomaru knew that he did not want to. But denying everything that had happened between them thus far would not reassure him.

_**You want her; there is no use denying that. **_Sesshomaru lacked the self-control to hold back his fist, as he punched the nearest end of the wall in fury, or rather silent fury. But it wasn't as though it would ever happen again, and even if his half-breed brother did see the damage done, he could just hire a contractor.

Feelings were useless; they did not grant anyone supreme power, which was what Sesshomaru had wanted in the beginning. Feelings of anger were all that he had been used to. Never once did he consider the thought of falling for someone.

Rin just happened to be someone different from all the others. She was extremely different; the way she laughed, the way her hair happened to float down her shoulders like an exotic waterfall, the way she gazed at him with adoration and the way Rin talked to him like they were close 'friends'. At first Sesshomaru was sceptical if that was all she wanted from him; friendship. But at some point, Sesshomaru just knew that Rin was in love with him – as though she had the same feelings as his sister-in-law had for InuYasha.

His beast applauded; knowing that Sesshomaru had some sort of feelings for Rin. It was clearly obvious that he had showed them in his own way. Words didn't particularly show what he meant (although the rare comment about outshining the stars and the moon meant a lot), thus his actions would explain them all.

"_Did you really think I love him? After all that I've been through?" _

If that was not indication enough that he felt immensely relieved that Rin's feelings for Ryusei were merely hindrance…

_**She looked especially tempting in that tight dress. **_Sesshomaru was tempted to punch the wall again – to reinsert his dominance over his beast. He couldn't afford to let it get the best of him.

He was supposed to protect her from danger; even if it meant he had to protect her from himself.

**:3 :3 :3**

Rin was all for the idea of the guy chasing the girl; if he wanted her, he could get her himself. The girl would not play any games with him, apart from cat and mouse. Rin was certain that she was going to play this game with Sesshomaru. She was, at first, going to let him chase after her. But after some serious thinking, and some advice from Kagome, Rin was going to be the one to make the first move. It would be inevitable that Rin would do this, as she did not have any feelings for Ryusei that way (and nor will she ever); and she was lucky that Sesshomaru knew that Ryusei was not who Rin wanted. Out of all the people that she had to fall in love with it had been Sesshomaru.

Rin sighed, not for the first time, as she waited outside Sesshomaru's door; it wouldn't be surprising if he thought she was stalking him… considering that she had been out there for at least five minutes. But the most surprising thing to Rin was that Sesshomaru didn't even acknowledge her presence. It was like he knew she was there, but didn't plan on doing something about it. Or maybe he wasn't even there to begin with…

_Come on, Rin; don't be a big chicken! _Somehow the thought of being crashing down in a plane didn't scare her as much as gathering up the courage to confess her love for Sesshomaru. And 'scared' would be a mild term to describe things.

"Sesshomaru, may I come in?" Rin's voice resonated throughout the hallway, and the echoes of her feminine voice could be heard for at least a few more moments.

She wasn't even expecting an answer; she knew him to be quite silent – not that it was a bad thing. But sometimes she just wished she could hear his voice, which resonated power, strength, superiority… it oozed sexiness, which really caused a shiver to run down her spine.

Rin, who did know the difference between personal space and being annoying, decided to go in; regardless of what Sesshomaru would say to her. But if it were any other circumstance, Rin would say that he's lucky to have some sort of girl in his room; she kind of doubted from the start that he had a girlfriend.

She wasn't surprised to find that his room was dark, empty and lifeless. Just a king-sized bed, closet, dresser and his own personal bathroom; nothing too fancy, nothing too simple but there was nothing in this room that looked particularly distinguished.

Rin sat down on the bed, immediately taking a liking to how comfortable it was. Considering that Rin had to sleep on a futon, which was pretty much a thin mattress, she would have welcomed this change. She actually would rather sleep on this bed, but appearing to be a diva would not help her case.

"Rin." She widened her eyes in bewilderment, as her heartbeat ricocheted around in her heart and a shocked squeal – as quiet as a mouse – slipped out from her lips. It wasn't until Rin glanced toward the bathroom that she noticed amber eyes and a half-naked body before her. Because Rin was never used to seeing naked guys, as this was the first time this happened to her, her nose was going to start bleeding. Either that or her heart was just going to stop beating. Hell, she might as well faint.

Let's face it; she never would have expected to see Sesshomaru, whose chest was chiselled to perfection by God (she couldn't help but ogle his six-pack…), shirtless and wearing only a towel around his hips. In other words, it was the only piece of clothing that would hide his nakedness. He was so… gorgeous.

"Like what you see?" Was it just Rin or was he trying to make a joke with her?

"It's the only thing I have seen," Rin mumbled, underneath her breath, as her cheeks gradually darkened to a crimson colour. "I haven't been around men much, okay?" And was it just her, or did he actually look… pleased with her answer? Not to mention that she was instantly pulled up on her feet – but not ungentle.

"You enjoy being around me," he whispered huskily, "more than him…" His gold eyes were piercing straight into her own, pretty much paralyzing her to stay in that very spot.

"Of course I do; what kind of question is that?" Rin retorted. She nearly lost her balance, as she felt his lean arms hold her back; she knew he was trying to be careful with her, as to not break her – as she was that fragile, apparently. "If I don't like you, I wouldn't have come to see you." It didn't really help her case that her gaze was somewhat focused on his lips, that she wanted to kiss so badly.

"You are not afraid of me," Sesshomaru stated, his eyes slightly flashing red.

"I'm not afraid of you. I know you won't hurt me…" Rin replied, her tone of voice laced with assurance; like she knew for a certain fact that Sesshomaru couldn't hurt her. At least intentionally.

"That is not what this one was asking," Sesshomaru growled; his grip on Rin tightened considerably, causing her to be crushed against his chest.

"It's true, though. Even if you could hurt me, don't you think you wouldn't find it in yourself to do it again?" Rin narrowed her eyebrows, patiently waiting for his next answer. "And I could never hate you for that." Before Rin could even plan out her next move, as was Sesshomaru, she basically acted out on her instincts.

She went on her tippy-toes and kissed Sesshomaru on the lips. Tingles of pleasure were exchanged between the two, as Rin's lips remained glued onto his; although she put in as much love for him into the kiss – but it was more of a reassuring kiss. It was basically her first kiss that told Sesshomaru that she never wanted to be with anyone else. Being engaged to Ryusei be damned! Sesshomaru was the only one for her now.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I wonder what you're gonna do about that Fluffy! ^_^**

**Remember – if you liked this chapter, please let me know; I'd love to know what you think!**


	18. Chapter 18: What Doesn't Kill You

**OMG, you guys are the best! ^_^**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 18: What Doesn't Kill You**

She was tantalizing… she was irresistible, generous, sweet, kind, innocent and most of all: pure. If anything, Sesshomaru could not help but enjoy the feeling of Rin pressed up against him, with her lips touching his own in a soaring kiss. In all honesty, he desired more – as did his beast. But could he get it? Could he allow himself to be overtaken by this sweet girl, whose scent was starting to overpower his senses? Could he allow himself to take her prized possession?

If Sesshomaru really wanted to be honest with himself, he did not want anyone else to taint her; just the thought of someone else, namely Ryusei, taking her as their own truly angered Sesshomaru. But what didn't help matters one bit was that Rin didn't want anyone else… she only wanted Sesshomaru.

He did not have any more time to waste. Immediately, Sesshomaru returned Rin's kiss feverishly, as his hands rested on her upper back. His claws delicately touched her skin, of which it was so smooth, and as a result, Rin released a moan of pleasure. It was like she desperately craved more from him; and he was obliged to give it to her.

The kiss became even more passionate; lips were battling it out against each other and even though it was slightly rougher than what Rin had ever imagined, she enjoyed every moment of it. Sesshomaru thought that Rin had tasted of chocolate and cinnamon – a deadly combination. His tongue licked her lips, requesting passage into her mouth. Rin – who had tensed in discomfort for a few minutes – accepted; and in just a few short seconds, another battle had been created.

Rin had never felt this way from such a dizzying kiss. She pulled away as though she had just realized she needed oxygen to breathe. She could feel herself flushing, but not from embarrassment. In fact, she had a general idea of how hot it was in Sesshomaru's room. Her cheeks were burning, her lips were slightly bruised and her eyes stared deeply into Sesshomaru's: searching for answers. Heck, she could even feel her heartbeat pounding in a fast rhythm. And she had yet to even notice how her petite hands were resting on Sesshomaru's chest.

"You do know what this means," Sesshomaru stated huskily, as his gold eyes pierced straight through Rin's. His hands cupped her cheekbones as delicately as he could without scratching her. "You must stay by my side at all times."

Rin understood what he was trying to say; she knew that this relationship had to be kept secret. She knew that she'd be even in more danger, just for being with Sesshomaru. But the worst part was that she was human and he was a demon.

She enclosed her hands on top of Sesshomaru's. "I know. As long as I'm with you, nothing bad should happen. Ryusei can just find another wife."

Sesshomaru leaned forward to kiss Rin's forehead, as he then whispered, "Then you belong to me."

"Always and forever." Rin closed her eyes, as Sesshomaru's lips met hers in a soaring and certainly loving kiss.

**:3 :3 :3**

It was hard for him to maintain his self-control. Throughout that period of time, Sesshomaru would have thought that his beast would have come out to play… but it didn't happen. Truthfully, Sesshomaru was content with that. He did not want to taint this girl's innocence. Not yet. He did not want to change her perception of him; because if he did… what would she think of him then?

But Sesshomaru had to reflect back on earlier; Rin had told him that she did not want Ryusei and that she knew he would never hurt her. She may be the first person who did not think of him as a monster. She may be the first person who was not scared of him. This thought pleased him and his beast.

Was it a mistake for claiming her? But if he wanted to get technical, he didn't claim her. Yet. But even then, would she even be ready for it? Rin had declared her intentions from day one; Sesshomaru had done well to ignore her thus far, but not anymore.

His intentions toward Rin were already clear; but the problem was, many would find out about their union… There would be few that would approve of this; the Emperor's daughter and the bodyguard. But it was not as though Sesshomaru ever intended anything… less than honourable toward Rin. He wanted her to smile for him. He wanted her happiness.

Sesshomaru sighed heavily; he had enough of searching for answers that he could not find. He would rather watch Rin as she slept beside him, nestled into him.

He knew fully well that she was comfortable; she had a peaceful expression, her heartbeat was steady – as was her breathing. Everything about Rin was beautiful…

What did this mean to Sesshomaru? Was this love?

**:3 :3 :3**

"Have you found her?" Takemaru inquired coolly, half-hoping – with all of his power and might – that his best assassin had not failed him. Takemaru did not accept failures; if someone did manage to disobey him, death was their only reward. Takemaru also believed that to get what he wanted, he had to strike fear into the hearts that defied him. Threatening did the trick, usually, but offering some sort of reward – such as life itself – also did the trick. All he really needed to do when it came to acquiring henchmen to do his bidding was to look for certain qualifications; greed, hatred, power, influence.

If only the Emperor, who was still imprisoned, could do his bidding. But he knew that his sanity was breaking every day; it wouldn't be too long until he was begging for death. Which Takemaru was willing to give him, after he told him where the Shikon Jewel was. Takemaru was not stupid – he was far from it, in fact. He knew that the jewel had been passed down in Naraku's family for generations and it was kept in an undisclosed location. If Naraku would not tell him where it was, then Takemaru would have to use different methods to get the truth. Each and every one of these methods was more daunting than the last.

Ryusei, who had just arrived, nodded. "Yes. But she is still with Sesshomaru." His hands were crumpled into fists; he was not stupid or dense. He had a general idea that Rin was in love with him, which did upset him a little.

"You are upset about that." Takemaru had always been aware that Ryusei wanted Rin for his own. At first, Takemaru only wanted her because she was another pawn in his deadly and twisted game he played with Naraku. But now his motives had changed…

"He is a demon and she is human. What could she possibly see in him?" Jealousy was a powerful emotion and an incredible motivator to get things underway. Just the sort of spark Takemaru was looking for…

"I think it is time to send a message to Inutaisho. Don't you agree?" Takemaru's voice, full of meaning and persuasion, managed to lift Ryusei's spirits. In fact, he was encouraging him to get started on the next set of plans; again, motivation was the key.

"It is time to pay a visit to Sesshomaru." But first, there was something that Takemaru had to do; it was the only thing that he could do at this point. He wanted to see how much suffering the Emperor had to deal with, as well as his beloved wife.

**:3 :3 :3**

He was a wretched mess, which was the correct and most accurate description that Takemaru could make of him. He was imprisoned for nearly a month now and already his physical form was crumbling, as well as his spirits. It pleased Takemaru that it did not take much for both of these things to happen. All he really had to do was ration his food servings, keep Naraku in the dark (literally) and no possible means for him to escape his fate. All Takemaru really had to do as well was to have a little chat with him – which could be another sign of Naraku's impending insanity.

Naraku's skin was pale, even just as pale as a corpse. Or rather, he might as well be a carcass himself. With lifeless brown eyes, chapped, purple lips, thin bones and ripped clothes, Naraku could be considered a zombie.

The best part of this was that he never once saw this coming. He probably assumed he would be safe in his luxurious mansion where every need would be catered to him on a silver platter. These kinds of rich bastards never lasted one day in the wild.

"Naraku, I hope you've been enjoying your stay," Takemaru mocked in disdain, as he walked toward the man who lost everything.

"Go to hell," Naraku spat out, his dark eyes glowing with ferocity. It seemed like he wasn't going down without a fight, much to Takemaru's surprise. But it was pointless to even start resisting. Sooner or later, Naraku's mind will be lost to the darkness.

Takemaru leaned down on one knee, leaning closer to study Naraku's facial expression. He was not staring at him, but he was aware of his presence. Suddenly, without any warning, Takemaru slapped Naraku across the face with tenacity and cruel mercilessness. Naraku had no reaction to his attack; in fact, he appeared that he was well used to it.

"And I suppose you would know what hell is like?"

"You would be there… that is all what hell really is."

"You think I'm the worst there is, don't you? Just because you have been exposed to a life in prison doesn't mean that there aren't crueller things out there in the big, bad world." Takemaru whispered. "And I know that you are aware of that too."

"People like you are the reason why the justice system exists." Who did this guy think he was kidding? Takemaru would have scolded him at the idea, but he laughed maliciously instead. This fool's upbringing had taught him all the wrong things about life and hell itself. Because he had been brought up in a rich family, they had no idea what real life was like.

"If that is the case, don't you think I would be arrested by now? Don't you think I'd be paying for my 'crimes'? If that is true like you say it is, then you would still be a spoiled rotten Emperor with no sense of reality." He assumed that he had known everything. What a fool.

"Where is my wife?" Honestly, he sounded quite frightened about her welfare; never once did he ask about his daughter's.

"If I'm not mistaken, she is in good hands. Nothing for you to worry about; although if you're wondering about your daughter's fate…"

"You cannot do this to me." Once again, Takemaru laughed. He laughed because the so called Emperor was still a child. He laughed because his foolish ideas about a peaceful society with demons working for humans would never come true. He laughed because he thought he still had power over him. He laughed because Naraku thought the people would come searching for him. He honestly believed that he was loved… But in all honesty here, Takemaru had friends in all the right places who did not like the current Emperor in power.

"Believe me, Naraku, I just did," Takemaru smiled wickedly, before stabbing the imprisoned Emperor with a knife – straight through the heart. Naraku merely widened his eyes in shock, before he silently came to terms that he was dying.

Takemaru did not take the knife out. Not yet… but now he could – as crimson blood started to pour from his wound.

The plan was already set in motion. Now that the Emperor was dead, there were only a couple of things left he needed to do. Including informing the widow of her husband's death, but for now, she could go home.

**:3 :3 :3**

InuYasha knew that something went terribly wrong; his gut feeling had told him so and he believed it. Never once did he stray from his feelings, which were usually spot on about these kinds of things. And whatever happened, InuYasha knew he would not like it. It would just give him another excuse to be pissed, but unsurprisingly, he was like this most of the time.

For the several weeks he had been gone from his wife, and their houseguest, there were things he needed to do. On the order of his father, he had to investigate on everything about Ryusei.

InuYasha scoffed; he was a fucking creep, if someone asked him. From what he had learned, he was a top-notch assassin, who was originally not from Japan. There was no doubt that he came here because of his family's murder; no one knew for sure if he came from a rich merchant's family or what – only that his lineage was not to be underestimated. Ryusei had come into contact with Takemaru, not a huge surprise, when he was a mere child; InuYasha suspected that he had been trained in the art of killing, therefore, it was his specialty to find someone who deserved to die. But what was even more suspicious was that there had been murders occurring since the year the Emperor had come into power. InuYasha believed it was no coincidence. Something was going on… and he as hell didn't like it.

He didn't like the fact that there was a connection between Ryusei and the Emperor. Why would the fucking Emperor betroth his daughter to this assassin? Didn't he have a brain and figure out that Ryusei was a killer for a living? Unless… the two of them were co-conspirators of something; unless both of them had something that they wanted to hide.

If it hadn't been for Sango and Miroku's detective work lately, InuYasha would never have guessed that Ryusei, of whom Rin would be married to, was working for the biggest crime lord in this century.

Now that he knew everything, or at least almost everything, there would be no reason to hide this from Sesshomaru. He knew how pissed he would become if he learned about this.

Dammit. He just wanted to go home now. He just wanted to see Kagome… who was going to give birth to their first child soon. That was the reason why he kept fighting. He had people he wanted to protect.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Okay, I'm very sorry that this chapter isn't as long as it should be… but hey – at least I got in an update lately! ^_^**

**Please leave a review; I'd love to know what you think! ^_^**


	19. Chapter 19: Mysteries And Theories

**William and Kate now have a cute little baby boy! If you guys are royal fans like me, you'd be squealing too. LOL. Sorry. I had to get this off my chest. XD**

**Anyways, I was on vacation for a few days and now my writing inspiration is back! I hope you guys like this chapter! :D**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 19: Mysteries And Theories**

It was absolute hell. That was the first thought that popped into Kagome's mind as tears ran down her cheeks and her emotions were in complete disarray. Her heart was pounding so loudly, she thought that it was going to explode from shock. But even then, this wasn't even the right term to describe how she was feeling.

Japan was going to be put through the most troubling times, now that their Emperor was dead.

Shivers ran down the young woman's spine, as she stared at the television set that displayed the most controversial images; it was very cruel, what the newscasters decided to show to the public at this time. Kagome felt horror, disbelief and fright at this moment, as she took a closer look.

The Emperor's body was hanging on top of the Tokyo Tower, his carcass dangling and one could even see the blood smeared on his clothes.

There was no doubt that he had been murdered.

It was times like these that Kagome wished desperately enough for her husband's company; she was that frightened, knowing that Takemaru could be the one behind this attack toward the government. Kagome knew that her stressing out over this would not help the baby at all. But she'd protect her child at all costs.

She gently caressed her belly in a comforting motion; sometimes Kagome thought she was doing it to comfort her baby, other times, herself.

Kagome didn't know what was going to happen now. Turmoil had been inevitable, ever since Takemaru had been in the picture; but did she know things were going to turn out this bad? Maybe, but she was sure InuYasha knew this was going to happen; maybe her father-in-law Inutaisho knew it would happen too.

What made things worse was that this was probably a message for the Emperor's family, as well as Inutaisho's elite group of assassins. It was a message saying that Takemaru could not only kill the Emperor, but everyone else in this country too. And who was to stop him from dominating the world?

Everything was going to change; nothing would settle in Japan for months, at least. If the law had balls, Takemaru would be captured and be put on trial. But since the police were too scared to chase him down, people could only hope some miracle would happen. The fact of the matter was; they had no idea that people like Inutaisho and InuYasha, as well as Sesshomaru, existed. Well, they did know that demons existed, but the citizens had no clue that the dog demon family were enforced to protect people.

"InuYasha…" Kagome's tears never stopped flowing down her pale cheeks, as she stared at her belly with confusion; what was she going to do next?

But what was more important than that, were her fears for Rin. Just thinking about the innocent seventeen year old, who had been pressured to marrying Ryusei, made Kagome even more empathetic. Her heart went out to Rin already, who certainly didn't deserve any more troubles on her plate. How would Rin even react? She'd be devastated that a family member had been killed, much less passing away. She would want to know what happened, but Kagome wouldn't know what to tell her exactly.

Rin deserved to be happy… Kagome had a feeling that Rin had confessed her feelings of love to Sesshomaru; she wasn't in her room last night, which did make Kagome suspect that she was sleeping with Sesshomaru. Kagome knew this was just a theory; she would have gone into his room to check, but she knew for a fact that Sesshomaru would be alerted by her presence. A cranky dog demon in the morning was the last thing Kagome needed at this time.

There were so many questions, so many riddles. No one knew for certain how the Emperor died, or what happened before.

The only thing anyone knew at this point was that he was found upon the Tokyo Tower.

Before Kagome could contemplate anything else, she heard the front door open and slam. Her heart skipped a beat as she knew immediately there was only one person that could do that on Earth.

It was her husband.

Relief clouded her features as she sprinted toward the foyer, to the best of her abilities, intent on finding InuYasha.

If he was hurt, Kagome would roundhouse that bastard who did it in the face. But if he was killed… Kagome didn't know what she'd do. But she had to acknowledge the fact that her hormones were getting the best of her again. Great.

"InuYasha!" Kagome cried out, as she saw him standing in the middle of the doorway. She wrapped her arms around his lean, tanned form – at once she started to relax and she could feel her heart slowing down; there was only one place where she could feel safe – it was in InuYasha's arms.

However, she would be extremely foolish to believe all was well with him. She could tell that he was troubled, no doubt that he had learned about the Emperor's abrupt end to his life… If anything, Kagome knew that he'd be upset that he failed to do something.

InuYasha's arms rested on her middle and his hands slowly rubbed her back. "Kagome… you're safe."

Then his hold on her tightened completely.

It made Kagome wonder for a brief moment if he was scared of something. He hadn't seen her in two weeks. Maybe something had happened, other than the Emperor dying of course.

"Yes. We're safe," Kagome gently told him, with as much love and comfort as her voice could muster. Her eyes were shining with adoration and as she pulled away from the hug to gaze into his eyes, there was no doubt: he had looked frightened, beyond anything else.

"The Emperor's dead," InuYasha replied gruffly, as his hands were held by his wife's fragile, delicate palms.

"There was nothing you could have done. You don't need to blame yourself," Kagome said softly, as she then began leading her husband to the living room. InuYasha didn't say a word, but he let himself fall on the couch; feeling quite exhausted and unexpectedly confused about what he was supposed to do next.

"The old man is pretty much pissed about this."

InuYasha groaned, the moment he felt his beautiful wife's nurturing hands massage his back. He had to admit it, reluctantly, that it felt good… too damn good to even care about anything else for a while.

"I think everyone's going to be mad. The Emperor was loved by most of the people in the country."

"No he wasn't." The snotty tone to his voice made Kagome hesitate; from what it sounded to her, InuYasha knew something she didn't. It was like he found out something so twisted and astonishing, he didn't think it could possibly be true; whatever it was… "A lot of people fucking hated the guy. I don't blame them."

"What… was he… a bad man?" It wasn't like the Emperor had something to hide, right? It wasn't like he was a bad person. In fact, in all of his public appearances, he looked to be a swell, charming, polite man. And all of the things he had planned for this country had to be for the greater good. But could Kagome really believe that now?

"More like a fucking slave trader; he gave his own flesh and blood to a manslayer!" InuYasha snarled, as he subconsciously punched the couch in frustration. "I did some digging. I learned that the so called Emperor was part of Takemaru's sex trade operations; not only was he a part of it, he was the fucking boss of it too!"

The last thing that Kagome ever wanted to do was call her husband a liar. She had so much faith and trust in him; she knew that InuYasha would never be kidding around about stuff like this. Yet after listening to him time and time again, she had learned to get used to his temper tantrums. She had gotten used to his outbursts of anger. She had known him for a long time now…

But after hearing this piece of information, Kagome couldn't believe it at first. As a realization hit her straight in her heart, which happened to be one of her life-long lessons about judging people based on their appearance, Kagome knew better than to question this.

"I should have known… I should have known that he sold his own daughter… the bastard." There was nothing but pure hatred in his voice. Yet Kagome knew that he cared in his own way, even if he did act rash about it.

"InuYasha…" At this point, Kagome didn't know what she could say to make him feel better.

"Sesshomaru has to know about this. The old man told me that I have to tell him." Now that InuYasha learned all of this, what good was it keeping it to himself?

"Rin has to know too, won't she?" Kagome asked, with a sad tone laced in her voice.

"She'll learn about it sooner or later."

"But we can't just tell her everything at once!"

"I KNOW THAT! DO YOU THINK I'M A FUCKING IDIOT?!"

Kagome widened her eyes, slightly taken back by InuYasha's outburst – that did manage to surprise her that time. At once, InuYasha immediately eradicated any anger, of which he didn't mean to inflict upon his wife. He knew he should know better than to act like a monster. It wouldn't have been the first time that he acted like such a mess.

"I… I'm sorry," InuYasha apologized, as a rosy red blush appeared on his cheeks. His pride was what usually kept him from giving in to Kagome, when they had arguments. Much to his surprise, Kagome hugged him once more.

"I'm sorry too. I just hate it when we fight like this…I feel so horrible. But now, everything's changed."

"Hn. Shit always happens, whether you like it or not."

"Like how you knocked me up?"

"That was our decision to have a baby, genius." As much as InuYasha loved to see the smile on his wife's face, joking around with her felt a little bit awkward. Maybe he just needed to take a nap; yeah, that was it.

"You look tired," Kagome pecked InuYasha's cheek. InuYasha stared deeply into her eyes with curiosity.

"So are you."

"I couldn't get much sleep lately; I've missed you," Kagome leaned forward to place a loving kiss on his lips. There was no passion or lust involved; just some love and desperation. "I thought you would have gotten hurt or something."

InuYasha nuzzled Kagome's neck, before he replied, "I'd never get hurt. No one can touch me." He was as arrogant as always, and Kagome loved him for it. "Now get back to sleep, woman."

It was just another way of suggesting that he cared. If it hadn't been him, Kagome would have smacked him in the face.

**:3 :3 :3**

Mina Sunata knew for a long time now that she'd become a widow; the ache in her heart was starting to become unbearable, yet complaining about it would solve nothing.

She wished she could have done better in convincing Takemaru to release her husband; yes, he wasn't perfect and he had his flaws, but she had loved him.

_Has he not told you he had once been a part of us? _Takemaru's word still rang clearly inside of her mind.

When Mina had learned of her husband's past, she wanted to deny it. She knew how much of a kind-hearted man he had been to her… but she just couldn't judge people based on their appearances. She did feel betrayed, to say the least, that Naraku had used their only daughter to gain a powerful object. But… why would he do that? It was out of character to him, at least that was what Mina thought.

This wasn't the only thing that troubled Mina. The incomprehensive reason why she was released from Takemaru's prison had puzzled her. Why would he let her go? What could he have to gain from this? Maybe he had no use for her…

Yet Mina was merely worried about Rin's welfare; her daughter, who had just turned seventeen, was most likely safe. But that didn't stop her from worrying over her. But she knew that Inutaisho would keep his word; he never failed to keep his promises. She knew that he'd keep Rin safe… or rather, Sesshomaru, his son, would keep her safe.

Mina pursed her lips, before deciding to send off a letter to her daughter with all of her love and blessing.

_My dearest Rin,_

_I haven't communicated since you have left, I know. But circumstances have changed and they are not for the better, my darling. There are things that you need to know; danger would most likely fall unto you, but not without warning from me. _

_I want to say this first, before anything else; keep your heart hidden. Whether you fall in love with Sesshomaru or not, it is important to keep your feelings to a minimum; I may sound paranoid, but no one knows if they themselves are followed. _

_Secondly, there is a man that you need to be aware of – the very person that could be after your life. His name is Takemaru; he is a man of terrible power and unofficially rules over Japan with an iron clad fist. As it turns out, he has been involved with the slave trade. And that is the least of what he has been doing…_

_Thirdly, your father… if you have not heard already, he has passed away. In truth, I do not know what has happened to him, but he is dead. Grieving over him would not change a thing; as long as Takemaru is still out there, no one is safe from him. And that includes you. _

_There is more that you need to know, but this may be difficult for you to try to digest. Please forgive me._

_Lastly, I enclosed a special package for you, my daughter. I wish you a happy seventeenth birthday and I give you my love. You know very much how much I love you, don't you?_

_Love, _

_Mina Sunata_

**:3 :3 :3**

When Rin opened her eyes that morning, several different emotions came running through her mind. Firstly, she felt refreshed; she hadn't slept this well in ages. As much as she found her guest bedroom quite relaxing at times, it was troubling to fall asleep sometimes. Secondly, Rin also felt confused; mostly because she found herself in a different bedroom and in a different bed. What happened last night anyway?

The answer to her question came in the form of flashbacks of kissing and touching; as a result, Rin blushed, but not in embarrassment.

Out of every emotion she felt so far, she had to say that she felt happy the most. She was delighted, more than anything else, that Sesshomaru was her first kiss. It wasn't exactly like how she imagined it, but it was magical; the kiss felt right.

Rin's smile never left her face as she remembered every last second of that kiss. And of course, Sesshomaru was as into her as she was into him. What made her happier though was the fact that he proclaimed he'd protect her as long as she was with him at all times.

The blush on her face seemed to have deepened, as she felt a strong arm clutching her middle, pulling her straight into his chest.

If she wasn't feeling a little bit embarrassed before, she was sort of feeling it now… after all, they hadn't been this intimate; they just shared a gravity-defying kiss.

"Good morning, Sesshomaru," Rin whispered softly, as she leaned forward to kiss Sesshomaru on the cheek.

Sesshomaru, however, took her kiss as a form of challenge. Did she dare to tease him like that?

His gold eyes pierced into hers, and it seemed like time passed way too long before either one of them could make a move. He could feel her heart beating… he could see her cheeks flushing a light shade of pink… and Sesshomaru could very much tell how she wanted something from him.

Rin, supposedly, had been the courageous one to get things started. She quickly leaned forward to kiss him lovingly on the lips and supposedly, there was no other meaning to it.

But then Sesshomaru just had to change the soft kiss to something fiercer and rougher. But it did give Rin some excitement as his lips clashed with her own in an aggressive, but not a hurtful manner. Truthfully, Rin did feel completely safe in his arms, with his body covering her own, while the kiss continued.

To Rin, this was the best way to wake up in the morning.

"As much as I want to continue this, I need food," Rin clapped Sesshomaru playfully on the shoulder, before she managed to escape his clutches. His half-naked clutches, she might add.

"Hn." Judging from his tone of voice, did he sound grumpy or what? Rin couldn't help but be amused by this; the poor, poor doggy had to suffer in silence while she had to get something to eat.

"You wanna come with me, don't you?" Rin batted her eyelashes directly toward him. "And besides; Kagome's going to come investigate as to why I haven't shown up to breakfast."

Being interrupted by InuYasha's wench was not something that Sesshomaru would be excited about.

But being interrupted by his half-brother was something that would truly, truly, tick him off to the point of castrating his doggy ears; because this would be the biggest turn-off of them all.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I just loved the little interaction between our Fluffy and Rin. ^_^**

**I really hoped you liked this chapter! Mind leaving a review? I'd love to know what you think! :D**


	20. Chapter 20: Love Advice

**Now Rin and Fluffy are perfectly together, what is going to happen next? :3**

**I hope you guys really like this chapter! ^_^ HINT! HINT!**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 20: Love Advice**

Kagome was far from stupid and clueless the moment she and her husband walked into the kitchen later that morning. She didn't expect InuYasha to understand what was going on now, not that he particularly cared for the love life of his elder brother before, which left her to ponder things on her own.

She never took her eyes off of Rin and she had to take some notes. Firstly, Rin was not dressed appropriately; she should have been in her pyjamas or in different clothing – but this was not the case. She just happened to be wearing the same outfit as last night. Strange… was it not? Secondly, Rin's smile, which she tried so hard to hide, kept popping up as well as that same cheerful look was found in her beautiful brown eyes; something obviously had happened to make her that joyful. Thirdly, Rin was staring directly toward Sesshomaru from time to time and a small rosy blush would lie dormant on her features.

Kagome grinned from ear to ear; to her, it was pretty clear what happened between them. She had to rejoice Rin for confessing her feelings of love toward her bodyguard, who once had a heart of ice. Truthfully, Kagome couldn't picture Sesshomaru being the type to say 'I love you'; if that day ever came, she'd name her son – if she had one – Sesshomaru.

InuYasha, however, became suspicious the moment he entered said kitchen. But he wasn't planning on saying anything; not about how he could smell Rin's scent plastered on Sesshomaru. Not yet anyway. But he did give Sesshomaru an icy glare that could be the equivalent of Sesshomaru's and as a result, Sesshomaru reciprocated said glare. What made it a little bit awkward was the fact that neither of them had to say anything.

In Kagome's opinion, it was definitely time to take Rin aside for a little girl-to-girl chat. There was a lot that they needed to talk about anyway. And in turn, this would leave InuYasha to talk to Sesshomaru; there was no doubt that he'd give him advice about how to court Rin (and not in just the official way) the human way.

"Rin, let's talk," Kagome proclaimed, somewhat startling the seventeen year old – who was still sneaking glances toward Sesshomaru. Secretly, it made her want to go 'aww' at the sight; in truth, it was that adorable to see the two of them gazing at each other. But Sesshomaru himself would probably deny any feelings; because he needed to maintain his reputation. But it wasn't as though Kagome blamed him. She knew the dangers of this sort of relationship…

"But… we just got here," Rin blinked, and Kagome couldn't help but notice how Sesshomaru looked a little bit ticked, "and I wanted to get something to eat."

"You can eat later, it's not like I'm going to let you starve," Kagome threw a stare toward Sesshomaru, before she stood up to grab a hold on Rin's arm. She patted her lightly, before she said, "Let's go."

For some reason, Rin looked frightened as a newborn deer facing off against a grizzly bear. InuYasha couldn't really blame her; Kagome could scare a lot of people without even trying and her only excuse this time was the fact that she was pregnant. InuYasha just couldn't wait until his baby was born. Who knew that he was looking forward to be a father that badly? And Sesshomaru was going to be the BEST uncle there was. InuYasha's sarcasm has won him many awards, as you might not know. And because his sarcasm couldn't be matched by anyone else, Kagome seemed to be the only one that pushed his buttons.

And then Rin just had to stare hopelessly toward Sesshomaru; InuYasha could very much tell that she was hoping for him to save her. Poor, poor child.

"And you say I'm crazy, woman? Leave the brat alone," InuYasha snorted, and before he knew it, all he received as a good morning gift was an irritable stare that could equal a mother bear's; and you know how protective mother bears are over their young…

"Do you want to tell Rin how to insert a tampon?"

The fact that Kagome had used feminine wiles to get her way usually played out to her advantage. But it didn't mean that InuYasha was happy about it.

**:3 :3 :3**

Rin was being abducted and Sesshomaru wasn't even going to plan on saving her? Whatever happened to the knight in fluffy armour (no pun intended) who said she should stay by his side all the time? Rin couldn't help that he was indeed a traitor. But it's not exactly worth getting angry over.

But what was worth getting angry over? Let's see – maybe that Kagome wasn't willing to tell Rin where they were going, much less what they needed to talk about. Quite frankly, Rin was a little bit scared right now. The look on Kagome's face was so… intimidating. She's pregnant and hormonal; not her fault, right? But it wasn't like Rin thought Kagome was a horrible person to be around. She was her friend, after all.

Ten minutes of fast pacing to a random sitting room within the huge mansion (which could actually be bigger than Rin's, believe it or not) was not what Rin had in mind that morning. But what really scared Rin even more was how Kagome immediately locked the door. And this was what happened AFTER Kagome forced her younger friend to sit down on a chair, which looked like it hadn't been sat upon for several years…

Rin's heart was beating so fast that she actually thought she'd go into cardiac arrest. Or maybe she should just plan to work out more. The latter sounded much more realistic anyway.

"Mind telling me why you've kidnapped me?" Better to fight sassy with sassier. What could Rin possibly accomplish by acting like a frightened little child? She had to be more confident – especially around girls like Kagome.

"So… you and Sesshomaru, huh?" Kagome wiggled her eyebrows in a suggestive manner, which matched her tone of voice, as her smile grew larger and larger. She wanted details. That much was clear.

"Yeah."

"That's not good enough. What did you guys do last night? Did you… confess your feelings of love? Did you kiss him?" Kagome knew she hit the jackpot when she saw a rosy blush hit Rin's cheekbones AND the way her eyes sparkled in awe and wonder. The cute little Emperor's daughter was in love with her bodyguard; Kagome didn't know if she knew better love stories than that. Titanic didn't count because that was a movie. This was real life – there's a difference.

"I might have told him I liked him." Lie. Lie. LIE! "And we did kiss. But that's it." Rin, as she was a virgin but not clueless to the ways of intimate relationships, knew what Kagome was getting at. Rin licked her dry lips and was suddenly reminded that she had yet to eat or drink something. So she knew that unless Kagome got all the details from her romantic evening with Sesshomaru, Kagome would not let her go.

"So no sex involved?" Kagome's chestnut eyes were shining brilliantly and she folded her hands right on her lap – mostly on top of her bulging tummy. Rin was certain that Kagome had urges… pregnancy had to do that to you, right?

"No sex involved! We just fell asleep together. That's it. But he did promise me to protect me and he wants me by his side at all times." _At all times_, looks like Kagome never did get that memo on time.

"That is so sweet. You know when InuYasha confessed to me – okay, you know what, don't judge him." Just because Rin was giving Kagome a sceptical look did not mean that Rin was necessarily judging. Okay that was a lie. Rin couldn't really picture InuYasha confessing his love; she saw him like Sesshomaru – whose actions spoke way louder than words. Rin, once again, was reminded that she shouldn't judge a person. Especially when she didn't know them very well.

"Anyway, InuYasha did tell me he loved me; not only that, he proposed to me. I thought I was the luckiest girl back then…" If Kagome was going to drift in la-la land, which could only mean that Rin was free to go. But unfortunately, Kagome was back to Earth before Rin could make her move. Damn it.

"When did you guys meet?" Now this should be an entertaining story worthwhile to listen to. Rin never really heard much of how couples met; nor did she ever know how her own parents met.

"We've known each other since we were kids, actually." Childhood love; something that you couldn't beat. "But we've never really started dating until we hit high school. It's a very typical, very cliché 'I've fallen in love with you' type story." Love, Rin could see it in Kagome's eyes; she was just that in love with InuYasha. It was that kind of love that made you feel happiest. It was a similar feeling to what Rin feels now.

Sure, true love had cost her the engagement with Ryusei – of which Rin really needed to speak to Sesshomaru about, now that she's made her choice. Sure, Rin's never really expected to fall for Sesshomaru. Sure, love could cost you a lot – sure, love could leave you heartbroken in the end. From what Kagome was just telling her, it was worth it.

"How did he win you over?"

"I can't really explain how. But his behaviour toward me really made me gravitate toward him. Sometimes he acted really affectionate, sometimes he pushed me away. But I think it's just we spent a lot of time together that made me realize how much I loved him."

"That just sounds so… surreal." Rin would never have expected it to happen to her; not when she grew up in a conservative household where as far as romance was concerned, her marriage would be arranged. Why Rin couldn't stand up for herself back then… she had no clue. It was like she didn't even bother to fight back.

"Doesn't it? You have Sesshomaru wrapped around your finger. I have to say you have done something incredibly amazing to get him to feel." Rin blushed, knowing that Kagome was right. She tucked her hair behind her ears before she could even contemplate what to say next.

"I don't think I did anything." Whenever she was around Sesshomaru, she felt exhilarated. She felt… happy around him and that was the understatement of the year. When they first met, for the very first time, she was captivated by him. Hero worship turned straight into love…

"How did he woo you?"

"I think his eyes grabbed my attention." Kagome's eyes widened; it looked like she wasn't expecting this answer. "And whenever we have private moments together, like in the garden a few weeks back, I honestly feel like… I don't know how to explain it." It was difficult enough trying to come to terms with her feelings by herself; it was one thing to try to tell them to Kagome.

"As long as you're happy,"

"Happy seems like the wrong word to describe it." Happy was just being overused… at least, that was how Rin thought about it.

"I get what you're saying. Now, Are you ready for some breakfast?" Somehow, Rin didn't like the mischievous look in Kagome's eyes; it was like she was planning something… whether or not it'd help her relationship with Sesshomaru, she had no idea. But she supposed she could learn to take it one step at a time. She could also learn not to act so paranoid. Nothing bad would ever happen to her; she was with Sesshomaru. What was the worst that could happen?

**:3 :3 :3**

InuYasha and Sesshomaru were not like the Elric brothers; hell, neither of them was remotely considered to be close-knit. But they were family, and it took centuries for Sesshomaru to even acknowledge this fact. That might be a little exaggeration going on, but for the most part, these guys hardly got along. Fighting was what they did best; it was the only way they knew how to get along. As long as neither of them ended up in a wood shredder, or clawed to death, they were free to do what they wanted.

InuYasha had a completely different personality from Sesshomaru, regardless of the fact that they looked alike. First of all, he had a potty mouth: which was something that most girls would find a huge turn off. Especially if that type of language was used a lot. Whereas Sesshomaru was more reserved – he talked less and any sort of vocabulary he used was way more advanced than what InuYasha would be used to hearing. Thirdly, their reactions to certain situations were completely different. InuYasha, as you probably know by now, would most likely be the type to rush forward and deal with it by using violence. Sesshomaru, meanwhile, used his brain to come up with strategies before using violence as a last resort. Not to say that InuYasha was stupid or anything.

Then there were their ways of romancing women. It'd become painfully obvious that Sesshomaru had never really wooed a woman to become his mate and there was a few reasons for that. Firstly, he would have a specific type of woman in mind. Secondly, he didn't want to have someone holding him back – even if he did have some sort of 'feelings' for that girl. As much as he showed charm and charisma, without him realizing it, he had no experience with women.

InuYasha was different. The reason why he never really found someone (before Kagome that was) had been because of his heritage. Humans would find people like him repulsive, demons would consider InuYasha weak. Of course not everyone in the world felt that way, as he later found out, but it was hard for him to be accepted into society. Thus, he never focused on finding love. But during high school, his childhood friend Kagome was the one person that stood out from all the others. She was human, she was kind, she was accepting; for the most part, she loved him. It took a lot of time hanging out with her to realize that he was in love with her also.

Didn't love feel absolutely wonderful? After several years of marriage, Kagome and InuYasha were expecting their first child. He knew what the gender of the baby was and he was going to keep it a surprise for his wife. But becoming a father was going to be… special. Fatherhood would be amazing. And it was at that time when Sesshomaru, who was now intimate with Rin (InuYasha knew since this morning), would be the next one to become a dad. InuYasha had a feeling that someday, if his relationship with Rin would be taken to the next level, this would eventually happen.

But the problem was getting Sesshomaru to continue to develop his relationship with Rin. InuYasha knew first hand that Sesshomaru was NOT romantic.

InuYasha was staring at him intensely. It was only a few moments of suspenseful glaring toward another did InuYasha start to converse with him. "What does she mean to you?"

"She is someone I have to protect."

"Don't start that bullshit. I know how she feels about you, but do you feel anything for her?" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes; what was this half-demon trying to get at? "She doesn't need any more fucking drama in her life."

Sesshomaru was confused… "What do you mean?"

InuYasha barked out a humourless laugh. "You haven't heard? You haven't watched the news? The Emperor of Japan is dead."

Sesshomaru had a stoic mask, composure to maintain, thus he would never show how he truly 'felt' about things. In this case, however, things were different.

The Emperor was dead.

Sesshomaru knew exactly who had caused his death, even though he was not certain of the cause; Takemaru. It was becoming clear to him now that Takemaru was sending him a message.

But Sesshomaru was not afraid of him. Why would he be afraid of a meagre human? Sesshomaru was a demon, who had much more strength and speed than Takemaru could ever hope to have.

"But that's not even the worst part. Ryusei, Rin's fiancé – he's Takemaru's fucking assassin."

Sesshomaru growled, as a plethora of emotions started to boil within him. The fact that Rin had been sold off by her father to this man, which he figured it out just as InuYasha told him this, pissed him off to the point of finding this bastard. His rage was starting to get the best of him; to the point where it'd be uncontrollable.

"So if you think you can break her heart and get away with it –"

"Silence!" Sesshomaru's voice boomed with such ferocity that even his younger half-brother stayed silent. "You know nothing, you impudent half-breed. This Sesshomaru does not intend to hurt her."

"Then prove it!" InuYasha snarled back, as he slammed his hands on the kitchen table. "Show how much you fucking care, Sesshomaru. Or else she'll start thinking you don't love her at all."

InuYasha was lucky enough that Sesshomaru acknowledged him as part of his family; otherwise, he would not have killed him for his foolishness. But who was to say that the temptation wasn't there?

**:3 :3 :3**

**Things are just starting to heat up, guys! You don't want to miss the next chapter! :D**

**Please leave a review; I'd love to know what you think!**


	21. Chapter 21: Beauty And The Beast

**Here comes chapter 21. May the courting games begin! XD**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 21: Beauty And The Beast**

It felt like forever since Rin had been permitted to go out into the outside world. But if one were to be really technical, they would suppose that Rin never had gotten permission in the first place (she kind of felt like Rapunzel from Tangled) because of people that want to take advantage of her. But that was clearly only half-true; not everyone wanted to go after her. Rin would never allow herself to be fooled. Not to mention that Sesshomaru would be with her…right?

Just the thought of Sesshomaru accompanying her into the city made her smile. Although she did have a pretty good idea that Kagome wanted the two of them to spend some much needed quality time together as a couple, though InuYasha looked disgusted by it. Not to derail from this topic, but Rin couldn't help but notice at breakfast that InuYasha had… a furious expression. Not only did he look mad, but he appeared to be betrayed. But what could have been bothering him? Before Rin could ask, Kagome had interjected. So whatever. She could learn about it later.

But now was the time to get ready for her day in the city! Kyoto looked fun enough as it was. Too bad this would be the only time to feel normal for once.

Rin brushed her long, tousled waves of dark brown hair and put it into a high ponytail. She was perfectly satisfied with it; she wasn't too picky on her appearance, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't had some days when she thought she looked ugly. Dangling from her ears were golden earrings, which was one of the things that made a great impact on her outfit. Make-up was kept to a minimal, obviously. One coat of mascara. Two coats of lip balm. No blush. No eyeliner. Just a little bit of foundation. Rin didn't want to change herself just to appease Sesshomaru.

And then there was her girly orange dress that lacked sleeves. Yes, it was a bit tight on her, much to Rin's annoyance. After all, her mother had gotten it for her several months before…

She wasn't going to think about her right now: even if a tidal wave of emotions crashed over her.

Rin should just go out and enjoy herself. She was going on a date with her bodyguard. She was going on her **first date**. Rin's first thought was that it was going to be magical – she really hoped it would be. But not as 'magical and special' like in The Beauty And The Beast.

Walt Disney movies were pretty much the only thing that she had been allowed to watch as a child.

Rin's heartbeat was flying off the charts; her mind still repeated to her that she was going on a date. With Sesshomaru, she felt ecstatic and nervous at the same time.

**:3 :3 :3**

She never felt beautiful all of the time, as she said earlier, but she certainly felt pretty in Sesshomaru's presence. She actually felt like she was a woman; it was his intense gaze that set off her feelings in the first place, really. But it didn't help her case when she could feel herself sweating… she hoped she put on enough deodorant. Could you imagine how embarrassing it would have been if she hadn't? It'd have been gross and she'd be icky, sweaty and too disgusting to be around.

"How do I look?" These were the first four words she said, after several moments of complete silence, after heading back into the 'living room' of InuYasha and Kagome's mansion. At first, Rin didn't know how to react when no one had made any sudden movements. She didn't know how to feel after scrutinizing from InuYasha and Kagome. But when she saw Sesshomaru, who was dressed in a pair of black khakis and a white t-shirt, Rin's heart stopped (momentarily). Why was it that she always felt like she was riding a roller coaster?

"Ugly." One word from InuYasha, much to Rin's surprise, actually got a stone-cold glare from Sesshomaru. Sure, he did act cold like ice cream, but this glance was enough to tell everyone in the room that Sesshomaru was not in the mood for InuYasha's comments. Especially since he was about to go on a date with her.

"InuYasha," Kagome didn't appreciate his comment either and as a result, InuYasha had gotten himself a punch in the arm from his loving and doting wife. Since she was pregnant and therefore hormones made her a changed woman, her punches actually hurt more. At least, that had been InuYasha's logic anyway.

"Orange happens to be my favourite colour, you asshole," Rin stuck her nose up in the air, like she was a snotty rich girl, and crossed her arms. To be perfectly honest, she never acted like this, but whenever she needed a self-esteem boost, being a brat usually worked. Not to mention that InuYasha deserved getting put in his place. But then again, he was like a big brother to her. "So Sesshomaru, we should get going."

She knew that Sesshomaru would not admit how beautiful she looked whilst under the watchful eyes of Kagome and InuYasha. She could wait until they were far from their house. Then she could start fishing for compliments.

But what was really sweet and unexpected was that Sesshomaru held out his elbow; Rin couldn't help but blush. He sure knew how to act charming when he wanted to be…

Rin, remembering her etiquette, placed her hand in the crook of said elbow, but before she could truly enjoy the romantic moment… Kagome just had to go say, "Aw! That is so adorable!"

Rin tilted her head to see if Sesshomaru was going to show a hint of a reaction, but she found nothing; he was calm and stoic as always, meanwhile, she had to go and blush at every little thing that Kagome had to say.

"Let's go."

**:3 :3: 3**

Freedom. Was this what it felt like now – to know you could do whatever you wanted without being tied on a leash? That's what Rin felt at that precise moment. She felt free, possibly wild and joyous all at the same time; kind of like a mustang in the wild. Though she wasn't in the country, she still felt that a weight had been lifted from her heart.

And being with Sesshomaru made her more at ease than ever; she felt completely safe whenever she was with him. Yet she felt a little bit old-fashioned when she held unto Sesshomaru's elbow. It made Rin feel giddy, but she also felt a whole bunch of other things as well.

"So what do you have planned?" Rin inquired, gazing excitedly into her boyfriend's eyes.

"There is a nearby park that will be suitable to your taste." In other words, Sesshomaru knew exactly what she liked. The excitement in Rin's eyes never burned out. Instead, it continued to glow brighter and brighter, as did her smile.

"You are really something, Sesshomaru," Rin burst into giggles. Her good mood had not only been influenced by Sesshomaru, but by the weather. And by God, was it ever gorgeous outside! Just the warm sunshine touching her skin and the cool breeze that welcomed her put her nerves to rest. She felt that this day would be a good one. Especially if Sesshomaru was going to act really romantic…

"So how do you think I look today?" A comfortable silence while walking through the crowded streets of people would have been great and all, but Rin really felt like talking. She really wanted to connect deeper with Sesshomaru.

"Extravagantly tempting." Was he trying to tease her or something? Rin secretly wondered if he was a pervert… she had actually thought about this several times when she took her baths at night; she really pondered if Sesshomaru actually wanted to take a peek at her. Well, she'll find out tonight.

"Pervert!" Rin squealed, and once again, her cheeks flushed a dark shade of red. She was never used to these sorts of comments because they never were directed toward her. Uncomfortable was definitely the understatement of the year.

Her heartbeat almost stopped the moment she saw a tiny, tiny smile on Sesshomaru's face. It was more of a cocky, amused smirk, but still… it was nice to see Sesshomaru drop the ice-cold mask of apathy. Maybe Rin was the first person to make him smile.

"This Sesshomaru has no ill intentions toward you." Of course he hasn't. But if he wanted to, he could actually try something on her. He had the power and she could not be able to resist. Just look at how long it took Rin to finally admit she was in love with him. He had that kind of charm that no other man could ever possess. But Sesshomaru was not that kind of guy to take advantage of her.

"That's good, Sesshomaru. I would have said no to you anyway. I'm saving myself for the man I love." And just like that, Rin could almost see him scowl. "You know that I love you. Don't look so constipated."

And just like that, Rin decided that Sesshomaru would be the only man for her to take her virginity away.

Okay. Enough with the inappropriate thoughts. But they just could not go away! It was pure torture for her. Rin should just focus on this date. Yeah.

**:3 :3 :3**

The first thing that Rin wanted to do when they got to the park was to sit down and check out the Sakura blossoms. Because Rin was a huge sucker for pretty things AND flowers, Sesshomaru fulfilled her request, naturally. And boy, was it ever a romantic spot for the two of them. They were alone and it was peaceful and quiet. Not to mention the sweet scent of those pink blossoms.

Rin had requested to lie down on Sesshomaru's lap, as she promised he would have the same courtesy. Rin nestled her head on his lap and sighed in relaxation, as her heart beat slow and steady like a drum. Was this what it felt like to be normal?

"This feels so nice," Rin admitted. "Being with you takes all my worries away." Sesshomaru was her protector. He made her feel so safe and looked after… "You make me so happy, doing this for me. But… how happy are you?" Rin was a little worried that Sesshomaru was only doing this because he had to.

"I am happy," Sesshomaru admitted, staring down into Rin's brown eyes.

"Then prove it," Rin challenged. She kind of liked getting a little rise out of him. Sesshomaru knew that she was just teasing him.

Rin gasped the moment she felt one of his hands cradle her cheek. But she nearly lost her breath as his thumb caressed it very gently; and he had done it all without breaking eye contact with her.

But she was far from being breathless, as she soon found out.

Before she knew it, Sesshomaru decided to take things up a notch; he had flipped himself on top of her, gazing into her eyes with what Rin could only know as love and affection. Never once did Rin complain. In fact, she found his dominance to be… passionate.

Her heartbeat escalated quickly. Any moment now he could choose to kiss her, yet he held back. And what Sesshomaru did next really shocked Rin. He laid his head on her chest, like he really wanted to hear her heartbeat… like he was desperate for some sort of lullaby.

Rin immediately wrapped her arms around him, like she was shielding him from the outside world. And she could feel his breath through her dress and it tickled her skin, causing shivers to run down her spine. Everything he ever did to her felt good… and she couldn't help but want more.

"Are you happy now?"

"Hn."

For a while, they relaxed underneath the Sakura trees… and in no time, Rin closed her eyes; there was no where else in the world she'd rather be right now. This was exactly what she needed to unwind… She felt tremendously happy.

**:3 :3 :3**

"Sesshomaru, let's get some ice cream!" Rin squealed; and Sesshomaru was reminded of a little piglet. But she was his little piglet… and no one else's. Rin grabbed his hand and pulled him along toward the small ice cream stand which stood near a gazebo overlooking the beautiful pond. Seriously – what could be way more romantic than this? "I really feel like having chocolate ice cream. Oh my goodness is it ever good," Rin gushed. "What kind are you going to have?"

"Vanilla."

"I guess vanilla's good. But chocolate is where it's at," Rin tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears.

"This one does not understand the appeal of chocolate."

"Well, dark chocolate is supposed to be really good for us. But other than that, it tastes really good," Rin licked her lips in anticipation; she could almost taste it now! "So then you get to explain the appeal of vanilla."

"I do not particularly enjoy sweet things."

"But don't I classify as sweet?" Rin frowned, and just a few moments later, did Sesshomaru frown back; in all honesty, he never liked seeing her without a smile on her face.

"I did not say that."

"And I did? Well, you were implying it buddy," Rin playfully punched Sesshomaru in the ribs, before she grabbed his hand again. She noted how fascinating his claws were, as well as the markings on his wrist.

Life could not get any better right now.

**:3 :3 :3**

"This is our first date and you have to act like that?" was the first thing that Rin said to him, for five straight minutes, as they proceeded to sit underneath a tree (for shade and more relaxation) to watch ducks floating by on the water. In retrospect, Rin should have gotten the ice cream alone and not having a really possessive demon boyfriend accompany her.

"I was only reminding him that you are mine." Rin rolled her eyes; what kind of logic is that? He was so infuriating…

"Look. I don't mind the idea of being yours. But that doesn't give you the right to go bat shit crazy on the ice cream guy. He was being nice!"

"He was flirting with you," Sesshomaru reminded her, and he even raised his voice a little bit to give himself more power. But Rin was not frightened of him. Not in the least.

"But you didn't have to threaten him!" Rin retaliated, also raising her voice. "If you want this relationship to work, you can't be this paranoid." She gets it, really, that he was trying to look after her. But not every male in the world wants to rape her, dammit.

"I could smell his intentions and they were not well-fit." Sesshomaru narrowed his gold eyes and waited for his girlfriend to retort with some comeback.

However, Rin seriously did not think she could win at this point. She finished the last bit of her ice cream cone, which had been disappointingly small, as she was unaware that some of it was smeared over her lips.

"Whatever. I give up."

As much as Sesshomaru wanted to relax, there was something else that prevented him from doing so. Maybe it was the fact that he had just caught onto someone's scent that lingered nearby… He narrowed his eyes.

Someone had followed them.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Romance overload! ^_^ Again, a jealous Sesshomaru is a cute and adorable Sesshomaru. XD**

**Anyway, I hope you guys liked the chapter. Mind leaving a review? I'd love to know what you think!**


	22. Chapter 22: Saving Me

**Chapter 22 is gonna be epic folks; there needs to be more action in this so it doesn't feel boring to you guys. Aren't I considerate? Aren't I the best? LOL! But seriously, I'm praying that you'll like this chapter. **

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 22: Saving Me**

Rin was never oblivious to anything; therefore, it would not be in her character to act dense – during any circumstance. She could tell right at this moment that something was wrong. Maybe it was her feminine intuition or maybe it was the fact that Sesshomaru looked stiff; the expression on his face was anger. But what could be wrong though?

"Sesshomaru? What's wrong?" Rin leaned forward and her hands touched his cheeks; her thumbs delicately caressed his magenta markings. She tried to tilt his head toward her so she could look him directly in the eye.

Before she knew it though, his arms pulled her closer to his body like a protective shield. She was that much closer to him because Rin could his heartbeat ricochet in his chest. Normally Sesshomaru did not show emotions, but after hearing his heartbeat, Rin could really tell that he was anxious. This could be a sign that she should be worried too.

"Listen to me, Rin." Rin didn't really recall him using her name that often, yet she knew now, this was definitely a Code Red situation. Sesshomaru was serious, probably more than ever, in fact. Rin nodded, waiting for Sesshomaru to continue. "You are being followed."

Rin sucked in a breath, trying her hardest to keep it together; because last thing she needed was to freak out and put herself in more danger. But it didn't stop her heart rate from rising to an all time high. And then she started to feel a whole bunch of different things. Firstly, she was confused, beyond anything else, because of an obvious reason. How did this person find her here? And what did they want with her? Secondly, she was scared, simply because there was an off chance that this person could actually find her… and do whatever they were ordered to do.

"By who?" When Rin was scared, she tended to sound like she was a little, baby mouse. Rin was trying hard not to sound like that, but if you were in this situation, how would you react?

From the look that Sesshomaru was giving her right now, did it really matter? The only important thing was to protect Rin and bring her back to InuYasha's mansion.

Rin's reverie was broken the moment she saw someone running from behind the trees… and toward her. Rin's eyes widened in fright, like a deer encountering headlights from a car, and her heartbeat was getting out of control. She felt frozen to the ground, until Sesshomaru pushed her behind him. But the thing was, the two of them – until they had been interrupted – had been sitting on a hill that overlooked the pond. Yet Rin just noticed it now as she tumbled down; she'd be lucky if she hadn't broken anything.

She lay on her stomach, as she tried to ignore the pain coming from various parts of her body.

She stayed still for a few moments before opening her eyes to take notice of her surroundings. _Keep your head down. Stay calm. _A voice from the deepest part of her mind advised her; at this point, Rin couldn't do anything else but obey. And as much as she wanted to shut her senses from the world, she just noticed the sound of metal clashing against steel; or something like that. Maybe someone was sword fighting?

Of course! It had to be Sesshomaru! Rin really had to thank him for getting her out of the way in time. Who knows, maybe she could have been sliced by a samurai sword. Okay… she really didn't need to think about gruesome possibilities.

What she knew now was that she had to stay alive. If this was an action/thriller movie, she'd totally win an Oscar for best female performance. Wait, wait, wait, and hold the phone! Rin had to take this seriously. What was wrong with her? Rin shook her head, intending to clear away any thought that didn't have to do with the task at hand.

_You have to run, Rin; you have to run! _Yeah, which is easier said than done. Rin felt like she was crippled at that moment; pins and needles ran through her body, as she tried to lift herself up from the ground. She was a big girl – she could do this. She was attacked before, right? She had survived the plane crash and she became a stronger person because of it. At least, that was what she hoped. So maybe she had a chance here too.

_Stop being such a baby. _Why couldn't Rin be as confident in life threatening situations like the person screaming at her in her mind?

The moment she finally pulled it together, which had been her courage and dignity, she stood up, but not before studying the scrapes on her arms and legs. At least they weren't too bad…

Rin turned around to face Sesshomaru, who was still fighting against the stalker (at this point, Rin didn't know what else to call him). She couldn't help but be wondrously amazed and impressed by his skills. Each time he dodged a direct attack, it was like he made no effort to do so. And each time he did his own offensive strike, that other person almost didn't have enough time to dodge.

_Now is not the time to fan-girl! Run to the bridge!_ Rin turned to the left and she almost squealed; there was hope for her yet… considering that the bridge seemed to be the only thing that would allow her safe passage to the other side. Yet Rin also worried about Sesshomaru; would he make it out okay? Worrying about her boyfriend was not selfish, dammit! She was accustomed to it by now. She should at least make him proud by getting herself even further from harm's way.

Motivation. Motivation. It was something that was the key to help her to get where she wanted.

She had to live… if not for her own sake; it had to be for Sesshomaru's. It had to be for Kagome's sake. It had to be for her family's sake. And just like that, Rin found herself sprinting down the sidewalk as fast as she could – no matter how much it pained her to do it – toward the bridge.

Honestly, she didn't feel that much adrenaline since the plane incident, but she could feel some flowing through her veins. Her heart was beating against her chest quickly and her lungs were screaming for more air.

She definitely needed to get back on the treadmill… which reminded her to ask Kagome if they had a gym in their glorious mansion. But this was definitely beside the point. Rin had to trust her body's natural metabolism to get her to that bridge, which was only a hundred meters away.

Why couldn't she get there faster?! It already felt like an eternity the moment she decided to run for her life.

There were so many things she wanted to do in her life; she wanted a family – above all else now. She just didn't realize it until she met Kagome and InuYasha. Tears sprung in Rin's eyes at the thought of their baby coming into the world very soon. Just the thought of raising a new life brought everlasting joy to Rin's heart. If she didn't get to have a family… well, Rin didn't know what she'd do but she wasn't that desperate.

Rin wanted to see her parents again; as much as she hated to admit it, but she had to say that her father was an important part of her life. Obviously, it didn't take much to see it – just running away from danger that her dad tried to protect her from.

And before she knew it, she made it unto the bridge. Rin paused, deciding it would be best to catch a few breaths before proceeding. Oh gosh, did her heart feel like a drum against her chest! It was like she pumped adrenaline into it, therefore, her heart must have gotten hyper or something.

Rin panted as she wiped the sweat that formed on her face; she definitely didn't feel good. She probably didn't look that pretty either. But her victory, as a result, was short-lived. Rin immediately felt a cramp in her stomach and cursed herself for eating that ice cream. She hated getting cramps, but the worst was when you got them in your tummy.

She felt like she was going to puke, yet at the same time, she didn't feel the need to. That's another thing that Rin hated most about her body's functions: they can toy with you whenever they want. Ugh.

"Where do you think you're going?" Shivers run down Rin's spine, as she froze right where she stood… and she could only hear her heartbeat and nothing else – not even her breathing. Did she stop breathing? She hoped not.

Rin really cursed herself for taking a break; if she was still running, then she'd be at the half-way point on the bridge. But now she was only a few steps in and already some creepy ninja dude was blocking her path. Rin really needed a distraction right now.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? We're not going to kill you," The ninja dressed in all black said softly, but it did nothing to calm Rin down.

It was at this time that Rin knew she had to stand up for herself. She had to be sassier. She had to be more confident. She couldn't depend on Sesshomaru to help her right now. She had to be strong and independent. Any bad experiences from the past were put behind her, as she took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. Her petite palms curled into fists, as she narrowed her brown eyes and proceeded to the next step.

She didn't even need to use the rope on the sides of the bridge to hold her balance. She could be her own saviour. She could save herself…

"Don't move any closer." And said ninja pulled out a sword and from the looks of things, it didn't look used. Great. She'd probably be the first victim. But as Rin continued to slowly walk forward, she only felt a little bit intimidated.

"What if I do? You're gonna kill me?"

"You've got some balls, sweetheart." Rin could hear some chuckles coming from behind her and she knew right away that she was surrounded. Did it really take that many people to come kidnap one girl? Especially if they claimed to be strong? Somehow that thought made Rin feel better; because she knew she probably had a chance of holding her own against these guys.

"What are you planning to do with me?"

"That's simple. We plan to take you back to Lord Takemaru." And then there goes Rin's build up of confidence and courage. The fact that she had to hear that man's name associated with her sure made things surprisingly damper between them. And Rin just had to feel frightened about what Takemaru, of all crime lords in Japan, wanted to do to her.

"That's not gonna happen," Rin hissed in retaliation.

"We knew you were going to say that. Let's go boys," the man snapped his fingers, before he made his way toward Rin. It's like… a dozen wolves surrounding a teeny tiny lamb – preparing for the kill.

And then the struggle began, not to mention Rin's motivation to get herself out of this sticky situation alive. She could feel one man holding her, but not for long; Rin was going to be a fighter. She was not going to let herself fall prey to these jerks. She was not going to let them touch her again! "Let go of me!" Rin screamed, as she started punching her captor right in the chest. And she punched him as hard as she was able to. If that wasn't going to work, she might as well start kicking: she still had the strength.

"Keep quiet, sweetheart. Or else we're gonna have to leave things to the last resort." Rin inwardly growled. She just about had enough with people calling her that – especially the leader of this top-notch ninja association.

"Don't call me that! And let me go!"

Whatever happened next turned out to be a misfortunate accident, but you could also call it fate turning the tables for Rin. Or maybe you could just leave it at convenient.

It felt like it was one of those slow-motion scenes at first; time felt like it was slowing down, people around her were breathing slowly… until it all stopped the moment the leader's sword 'accidentally' cuts the rope on the bridge.

You know what that meant: people were going to fall to their doom.

Rin was scared and she certainly wasn't afraid to show it. The moment she saw the bridge collapse, she started to scream… and she was screaming louder than the other ninjas when she felt herself hang on for dear life on the bridge part that didn't collapse.

Her heartbeat started to fluctuate again as fears began to plague her mind. Was she going to die for real this time?

And then she called out for the person she was in love with since the very beginning. "SESSHOMARU!" She yelled at the top of her lungs; now she could only hope that he'd actually come for her…

**:3 :3 :3**

The moment he heard her call his name, he turned around swiftly toward the bridge. His eyes widened, as he saw the bridge collapse and even at this distance, he could see several people tumbling into the water. He growled… there was no way in hell he would allow her to be one of them… there was no way he'd allow her to die without lifting a finger to save her.

Sesshomaru had no time to waste, pretty much, as he sliced through the remaining assassin. The echoes of the agonizing cry didn't register in his mind. There was only one cry that did though and it was Rin's.

_I am coming for you, Rin…_

**:3 :3 :3**

She didn't know how long she could hold on; she was pretty sure that this wooden piece that she was hanging onto would fall…. But Rin couldn't find the strength to pull herself up. She only had hope for Sesshomaru to come for her.

"I don't wanna die," Rin whimpered, as her feet dangled. Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she heard the other ninjas hit the water, but not before they scream. Which made her illusion of her being up in the air – like a thousand feet up – much more real. She closed her eyes, and told herself dozens of times over again that she couldn't give up. She could not cry…

But then she felt like she was being lifted. Her spirits were soaring and she had escaped death unscathed. She opened her eyes, feeling her heartbeat slow down a little bit, and immediately she noticed something. She felt like she was being tugged into someone's arms before they set into the sky once more. Could it be…?

Rin opened her eyes, much to the insistence of her female instincts, and she couldn't hide the grin that was spreading across her face. "Sesshomaru," she whispered, feeling relief and happiness inside of her heart instead of fear. She gazed into his gold eyes and he returned that gaze. Rin could feel his arms hold her tighter to him; it almost made her think that he was her guardian angel. But that was far from the truth. She nestled into his chest, seeking comfort.

She didn't know how long they were in the air for, but at some point, Rin could feel her stomach drop as they floated

down to the ground. But either way, Rin didn't want to let him go; because, if anything else, there was no where else she'd rather be.

"Sesshomaru," tears slipped down her cheeks, but she wiped them away before she continued, "I thought… I thought you weren't going to come at first."

"You are injured," Sesshomaru stated.

"They're just scrapes," Rin bit her lip, but from the look he was giving her this time, he wasn't buying it. "Just… take me back. Please?" She was purely exhausted and there was nothing she wanted more than sleep.

All Rin knew now was that they had a heck of a story to tell Kagome and InuYasha.

**:3 :3 :3**

**Well look at that: fast-paced action and a sprinkle of romance to make things better. XD **

**Mind leaving a review? I'd love to know what you think!**


	23. Chapter 23: Anxiety And Paranoia

**Here's some more Fluffy and Rin! ;)**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 23: Anxiety and Paranoia**

Rin was not taking everything in stride like she supposedly did two hours earlier. She did not know what the heck was going on with her this time; it's like… the wall that she built specifically for her emotions – to keep them in check – was crumbling and everything was scattered and confusing. Rin was close to freaking out but she didn't know why. She got saved by Sesshomaru, he protected her to the best of his abilities and she was alive! What could possibly be the problem? Maybe she couldn't handle the adrenaline whenever she was in danger.

Two hours ago, Sesshomaru had carried her back to the mansion; fortunately, he did ignore the wide-eyed expressions from Kagome and InuYasha as he proceeded to head straight to her room. It was to her own request that Sesshomaru would stay with her. She needed him near her right now.

Sesshomaru's presence should have calmed her, yet it kept her on edge. She couldn't even relax and she could not even have a nap! It was frustrating and that was the understatement of the year.

"I can't sleep," Rin announced, as she finally caught the attention of her bodyguard/boyfriend, who was sitting next to her futon cross-legged. "I can't even think about anything else other than what happened today. I keep thinking that someone's going to burst through that door." She ran her fingers through her wavy hair and she growled at the same time.

"Rin. I will not allow anyone to harm you," Sesshomaru's strong hands latched themselves unto Rin's arms, as he stared into her dark brown eyes with conviction. "You are safe."

"I… I just don't feel safe. I have a bad feeling that something's going to happen to me." Tears sprung in the brims of her eyelashes and a couple tears managed to slip down her cheeks. "Who is after me, Sesshomaru? Why does it have to be me?" Before Rin could even ask Sesshomaru another question, his lips crashed unto hers in a dizzying, gravity-defying kiss.

"You do not need to worry, Rin. I will protect you." But can he protect her from everything?

"Okay." And before she knew it, Sesshomaru immediately pulled her into a comforting embrace. And when he did that, Rin knew that he was being serious. She never wanted to doubt him; but that paranoid feeling that he wouldn't always be with her was definitely unsettling. "Did I scare you earlier? When I was on the bridge?"

"I was not scared." But his hold around her tightened, just not enough to harm her, obviously.

"Sesshomaru, it's okay to tell me how you really feel. You don't need to hide anything from me," Rin replied gently, as her head rested on his shoulder. "I'd never hide anything from you."

"No more tears," Sesshomaru said, but it came out as more of a demand than a simple statement.

"I'm sorry. I can't help it. I'm just a big cry baby." Her little chuckle was not convincing at all. Which was why Sesshomaru placed his lips over Rin's once more, kissing her with so much conviction.

_His lips are really warm, _Rin thought, as she returned it with passion. _And it feels so good to be loved. _Her hands rested on his chest and a surge of pleasure crept down her spine. A low growl resonated as a result from her touches and before Rin knew it, his lips changed its course. Instead of kissing her lips, she felt him kiss her jaw, but what really surprised Rin the most was when he started to kiss down her neck. And unsurprisingly, another surge of delight ran through her body; she grasped Sesshomaru's shirt as he started to suck, bite and lick. Since Rin had never been intimate with any guy (ever), she started to blush. She had to admit that this was the farthest she had gone with Sesshomaru. Especially since she could feel his hands rubbing up and down her back; she's starting to think that she got a great deal on a back massage.

"Sesshomaru," Rin gasped, as his hands fell straight from her back to her butt. _I never knew this guy could be such a pervert_, she thought with an amused tone.

But as he heard her speak his name, he pulled away, much to Rin's confusion. Was this how it felt like to be teased? Seriously, Rin never felt more like putty than she ever did; when he kissed her, she felt like she was going to turn into goo.

And now he just had to stop. For what reason, Rin obviously had no clue. "Sesshomaru?" The moment her hand touched his cheek, he stared directly into her eyes.

"We cannot go any further than this, Rin." Rin was not that naïve. She knew pretty darn well what he meant by that. It meant that he wouldn't… sleep with her (for lack of a better term). Not yet anyway, based on her interpretation of his words. But it didn't stop the curious seventeen year-old from asking about it.

"Why?" She sounded breathless and honestly, he did take her breath away the moment he captured her lips. Rin just had to blame it on her boyfriend; she couldn't stop staring at his lips, dammit! Wait – since when did she start swearing like InuYasha? That's just great.

"I cannot taint you." Rin looked as though she was going to protest, until Sesshomaru said, "Not yet." And because of his sweet words, Rin realized something; he was not going to sleep with her until she was married. Unless… he was actually proposing to her? But what kind of a proposal is this? Even if it was a proposal, then where the heck is the ring? Where the words were: 'will you marry me?'

"What if I'd let you taint me?" Rin leaned closer until her breath was touching his lips. "I don't dislike the idea, you know." And then this time, she kissed him. And to make sure he didn't pull away, she massaged his chest with her small hands. Question is, would he take the bait? She loved kissing him. If it were up to her, she'd be making out with Sesshomaru all day long. But life was full of disappointment, for some people.

Rin could feel herself smiling like an idiot, as he kissed her back ferociously. And then she felt something wet drag itself on her lips; at once, she was curious. Was that his tongue? Since Rin was still a novice when it came to kissing, she decided to test the water. She was certain that Sesshomaru wanted a courageous woman in his life; now shouldn't be any different. So she opened her lips and not even two seconds later, the kiss started to turn hot.

Rin mentally clapped herself on the back, delighted that she was able to do this without a sweat. Not to mention that the kiss that they now shared… was hot, passionate and fast.

Unfortunately, fate couldn't let them to enjoy their little make-out session. Because ten seconds later, someone thought it'd be funny to knock loudly on Rin's door.

"Rin? Lunch is ready!" It was very hard to concentrate on Kagome's voice when you had a gorgeous man – demon – kissing and biting your neck with as much passion as he could possibly muster.

"I'll be down there in a minute!" Rin squeaked and then she regretted it. Kagome was probably going to ask her how she got so flustered… "Sesshomaru, we have to stop," she breathed out, before she once again squealed when he nipped her throat. "Self control, remember? Self control."

Needless to say, Sesshomaru was a little bit upset that she wasn't willing to finish what she started. He could only hope that Rin would make it up to him somehow. But the thought of watching over her while she bathed was plenty…and for the first time in his life, Sesshomaru was actually looking forward to something (just saying; the date from earlier didn't really count).

**:3 :3 :3**

"So what _did_ happen?" InuYasha was not the best at small talk. If anything, he'd cut right to the chase. It seemed like it was the only thing Sesshomaru really appreciated about him. He narrowed his gold eyes at his brother, who stared at him right back. Meanwhile, Rin and Kagome had stopped eating their pancakes, basically waiting for Sesshomaru's answer.

Sesshomaru did glance toward Rin, silently inquiring if she wanted to tell them. From the desperate look in Rin's eyes, Sesshomaru knew then that he would tell. Not to mention that Rin shook her head feverishly.

Rin didn't feel like talking about it. She knew that InuYasha and Kagome meant well… but did they really have to know everything? She didn't want to sound mean, but she would appreciate a little bit of privacy. Even if Rin did feel like talking about how she almost got kidnapped or murdered, how could she possibly go out on a limb and say it like that?

Rin was pretty sure if she told Kagome that Sesshomaru almost didn't save her from a falling bridge, she'd kill him.

"We've been followed, by one of Takemaru's men." Sesshomaru's tone of voice was cold and deadly serious. Okay, so he was always serious, but this was different altogether. It could only mean that he was taking Rin's safety to a whole new level of serious… and it was sweet that he showed how he cared about her in his own way.

"What?" Kagome widened her eyes in astonishment, as her eyes flickered between her brother-in-law and Rin, who merely looked down at her plate. Kagome could tell straight off that Rin was stressing out about it. She almost couldn't believe it at first. How could Takemaru have found them? No, wait, never mind: there was only one person that could have tweeted him about their location. Ryusei. Kagome narrowed her eyes and she knew that InuYasha must have come to the same conclusion.

Something had to be done about Ryusei – no question about it.

And someone had to tell Rin what was going on… but the saying goes, the truth hurt sometimes. Would it even be a wise idea to consider? Rin didn't deserve to go through more pain, but Kagome could only imagine how she would feel if she was left out of the loop.

"It's true," Rin sighed; she secretly wished she could crawl under a rock and die… It could be worse though; she could have been kidnapped or murdered or something.

"Dammit! Takemaru knows we're here. You know what this means, don't you?" InuYasha looked at his wife straight in the eye and Kagome nodded; since she knew him better than most people, she could pretty much read his mind.

"What?" Somehow, Rin didn't like what was coming… she had that bad feeling resting in her gut and it would never leave her.

"We're gonna have to leave," InuYasha stated, his tone somewhat soothing and somewhat angry. 'There'd be no point in staying here when that bastard knows where we are." In other words, those people could come back for her.

"But… where would we go?" And now suddenly, Rin did not feel like finishing the rest of her lunch. She felt like she was going to puke if she ate the rest of her pancakes. But to be honest, this was due to the fact that she went through the most horrible morning in the history of mornings.

"I dunno. But the thing is, no one else needs to know." Shivers ran down Rin's spine. What did he mean really, by 'no one'? Rin's first clue was that no one could be trusted with their whereabouts. And this thought automatically led to another – there might be a traitor in their midst. But the possibility of someone that she knew well coming after her had to be one in a millionth chance, right? There was no way that a family member, or a family friend, would actually betray her. Okay, Rin really needed to calm down. She shouldn't be stressing over something like this. But she was! _DAMMIT RIN! GET IT TOGETHER!_

"Rin are you okay?" Kagome's hand gently patted Rin's shoulder, bringing the young girl out of her thoughts.

"I'm just not hungry." It was the truth; Rin would never lie to Kagome – she could trust her with anything. And she honestly hoped that Kagome extended the same courtesy.

They had to leave again. The first picture that came into Rin's mind was an airplane crashing and more bad guys for Sesshomaru to kill; not to mention Rin would probably fall out of the plane, making this her second near-death experience. She hoped she wouldn't have to do this for the rest of her life as the Emperor's daughter. But then again, she shouldn't have to be doing this at all.

Did everyone have to leave – including InuYasha and Kagome? Rin did feel safe in their company, even though InuYasha was rough, rude and a little bit shy. But really, Rin knew the risks; their lives could be in danger just as easily as hers. She did not want to get them killed; especially with Kagome's condition.

"InuYasha, we can't leave. Not yet," Kagome bit her lip, as her hands caressed her stomach. "Our baby's going to be born soon."

"Which is why I don't want to risk it!" InuYasha snapped angrily at his wife. "I'm only trying to protect you, Kagome."

"Exactly! You'll be here with me when the baby comes. And we also have Sesshomaru here. We're set." Rin would have laughed at InuYasha's expression right there and now, as he obviously did not like being lumped in with his brother. But Rin was in no mood for laughing.

"Fine! But if Takemaru comes and slaughters you all, don't come crying to me!" InuYasha roared, crossing his arms and turning around to ignore Kagome's icy cold glare that she was giving him.

"InuYasha! Why do you have to be such a jerk! Can't you see that Rin is suffering right now?"

Another marital dispute between man and wife; Rin hoped that they would stop fighting, she really did. The last thing that everyone needed was a petty argument about Takemaru coming to kill them all. "Stop fighting! Please!" Rin hollered, gaining the attention of everyone at the table – even her bodyguard, who had actually remained silent for the duration of the conversation taking place, glanced at her.

"If you want my opinion, we can't leave. Kagome's going to have her baby soon, right? Plus, what is the off chance that those goons will come back so soon? They did take their sweet time appearing before us, right Sesshomaru?" Her logic seemed to make the most sense between hers and InuYasha's. Rin actually sounded quite sophisticated for her age, but only because she was facing danger as well as her friends.

"Rin does have a point," Kagome replied. "From the way things are going right now, Takemaru's men only wanted to scare her. I don't think they'd intentionally kidnap her in a public place." From how Takemaru ran his 'business', he never wanted to make a fuss about how he did things.

"But what do they want with me?" Rin inquired, as she crumpled her hands into fists. "What does Takemaru want with me, really? If they wanted me dead, they could have killed me already." But Sesshomaru was the variable that prevented them from doing so.

"Rin, it does not matter what he wants with you. All what really matters is your safety." Sesshomaru was trying to comfort her, Rin knew that. He did win some brownie points, but how come Rin still had a feeling that something terrifyingly tragic was going to happen?

She wished this day would never have happened at all.

**:3 :3 :3**

**They might leave; they might not – depending on how things go. **

**And someone should tell Rin that Ryusei's really a bad guy! Or is he? Hmm… **

**Anyway, mind leaving a review? I'd love to know what you think!**


	24. Chapter 24: Change of Heart

**My mood is the equivalent of Sesshomaru's right now guys…:P I AM SO FREAKING PISSED! I wrote this chapter, and it happened to be 3000 words, but I tried sending it to my beta, but it didn't sent because it exceeded the limit of space that that was allowed. In terms of megabytes here, in case you're confused.**

**But I hope you like this chapter nonetheless!**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 24: Change of Heart**

Rin sighed in relaxation, enjoying the first signs of beautiful June weather that was sure to come in the future as well as right now. It was the beginning of June after all, and already, summer was around the corner. Birds were singing to one another while soaring through the air. But to Rin, they appeared to be dancing majestically against the breeze. The flowers moved against the gentle breeze like they were truly alive and mobile. It also helped that the sunshine spread its blessing and its warmth to all living things in the area; and not only that, but Rin's good mood escalated to its highest point in weeks.

Now this was what Rin needed after the hellish week she had to deal with; as much as she was paranoid before, she knew that wouldn't help matters at all. She had to be happy or else the bad guys would win. At least, that was what Rin thought because this Takemaru was looking for a reaction from her before going on with his plan, right?

Rin shook her head and in the process of doing so, all thoughts of Takemaru and the attack from last week had been erased temporarily. She didn't want to think about that right now; she just wanted to take advantage of this gorgeous setting.

She was in that good of a mood; she didn't grow anxious at all when the thought of having to leave this place crossed her mind. But if they did leave, Rin knew she had to enjoy whatever time she had left here. Rin giggled to herself. She made it sound like she was dying. Okay, so she normally didn't joke about that, but the alternative reaction could have been depression.

Rin heard footsteps behind her and before she knew it, she was smiling wider than she had in her life. And it was one of those real smiles that had no fake meaning behind them. It wasn't a reassuring smile or a comforting smile. It was a joyous one.

Rin turned around to face Sesshomaru, who stood behind her with the same majestic stance and mask hiding his true emotions. She had to admit that he looked especially handsome today (beautiful would have implied that he was a woman) with his hair tied in a low ponytail, a black t-shirt and black pants that may be similar to the traditional yukata. Rin was at awe; she always managed to surprise herself by worshipping this man as a god.

"Good morning," Rin greeted, her eyes gazing into his eyes with happiness and adoration.

"Good morning," Sesshomaru repeated, although his tone of voice was bland and emotionless. Even his golden eyes were guarded and they lacked empathy. But no matter: Rin planned to do something about that. This was what always happened for the past week when Rin sat out in the sun, admiring the flowers and God's work. Sesshomaru would show up and keep a proper distance away from her. Even when she told him to sit down beside her, he always kept a close distance and it made Rin a little bit suspicious.

"You know you don't have to ask. Please, sit beside me," Rin giggled, patting her right hand on the grass that was right beside her.

Sesshomaru didn't answer her, but he did what she requested, which made her heart soar. For once, he was not hesitating in sitting very close to her and only centimetres apart from each other. Rin was almost certain that his knee had grazed her own as he sat cross-legged. Rin never once stopped looking at him and she couldn't help it.

Another question formed in Rin's mind and it was something that she wanted to ask him that week. Why didn't he kiss her recently? Why did he close himself off from her? Surely it couldn't mean that he stopped loving her; or maybe he was still feeling guilty that she almost fell off that bridge and got attacked by Takemaru's men. Rin decided that the latter sounded more realistic than the former. Rin desperately wanted to tell him that it was okay; she wasn't harmed and she'd forever be in his debt once again.

"Are you mad at me or something Sesshomaru?" That question did make an impression on Sesshomaru. He narrowed his eyes and gazed deeply into Rin's brown eyes.

"Why would you assume that?" Sesshomaru sounded cautious and the mask that he had worn for so many centuries was just about to crack; Rin was that close to observing him more astutely. Rin shrugged her shoulders before she took a couple minutes time to draw out her next words.

"You're kind of avoiding me." Rin paused, waiting to see if Sesshomaru would interrupt her, but since he didn't say anything, she continued, "I'm just wondering if I did anything to make you stop loving me." If Rin wanted a reaction from Sesshomaru before, she definitely got one now.

Sesshomaru pulled her into his arms, as fast as his natural speed would allow him, and he nestled his face in her hair, before he took several deep breaths.

Rin could say she was pleased that Sesshomaru was opening up to her through his actions, but she didn't miss the fact that he was hugging her from pure desperation and fear coming from his heart. Had he been frightened to lose her? Rin placed her chin on top of his shoulder before kissing his neck in reassurance of her existence. This may be the only time he'd do something like this.

"I have never ignored you, Rin. You make me feel…" So he stayed away for her benefit? "You make this Sesshomaru want you… to take you." His lips travelled down her forehead to her cheeks, leaving short kisses behind. "But I cannot."

"Why?" It wasn't like Rin disliked the idea of Sesshomaru having her for his own, since she knew she would love no one else. "I love you. I've loved you since I first met you," Rin whispered gently, as her hands caressed Sesshomaru's magenta stripes on his cheeks. "And I can say that as many times as necessary so you know."

_You don't have to tell me how you feel. I know how much I mean to you._

As cheesy as it may sound, Rin and Sesshomaru shared another kiss; it bonded their love for one another and it was the only way that Sesshomaru could tell her that he loved her. "You know you're gonna have to take me out on another date."

"This does not count?"

"Nope."

**:3 :3 :3**

Kagome sure was persistent, but it took only five minutes for her to persuade Rin to go to the beach with her. Rin was certain that she was manipulating her in some way, maybe to talk to her about something, but she wasn't that stupid to bring it up now. Rin did sound a little ticked at her friend, but it was only because she just had to interrupt her and Sesshomaru.

And so, Kagome and Rin spent an extra ten minutes figuring out what colour of bathing suit that each of them should wear. In Kagome's condition, it was a little more difficult simply because she could simply retort that each and every one of her swimsuits would make her look fat.

Rin wasn't that picky; she chose a peach two piece, which happened to show a lot of skin, but it did look good on her. Although Kagome was the one that kind of pushed her to wear it just to show her awesome body. Was Kagome always this… stubborn? Apparently she was.

In the end, Kagome decided to wear her navy blue bikini, granted that it was the only one that could support her figure. Rin silently thanked God; who knew how long Kagome would have taken if she had to go through the rest? At least she only had one reason for not wearing the others.

Rin felt extremely embarrassed that she had to go out in this bathing suit; mostly because that Kagome wanted to show the boys how good they looked in them. But Rin grabbed a sheer cardigan (not completely see through by the way) and quickly put it on before Kagome could protest.

And then here they are in the kitchen modeling their bikinis. Kagome was eagerly waiting a reaction from InuYasha, who was close to dropping his jaw in shock; did he ever see a pregnant woman rock a bikini? Meanwhile, Rin was just staring at the ground, trying with all of her might not to look embarrassed but if one could look hard enough, there was a tiny blush on her cheeks. Sesshomaru surprisingly looked constipated, much to Kagome's amusement.

"So what do you think?"

"Take it off."

"You're such a pig," Kagome was no doubt fishing for compliments from her favourite man in the whole world, but the moment he starts insulting her, that was when hell would start to break loose. She placed her hands on her hips, trying to look intimidating.

"At least tell me that Rin looks good." Rin glanced into Sesshomaru's eyes for a quick second before looking back down on the floor.

"Too much skin." The moment Sesshomaru said those three words; Rin felt conflicting emotions tearing her apart. Not only did she feel even more embarrassed and exposed, but she also felt mad. Couldn't he just say how good she looked? Was it that hard to do?

"Who do you think you are? My father?" Rin growled, and needless to say, no one expected her to release that kind of temper. Even Kagome was shell-shocked. But before anyone else could say a word, Rin dragged Kagome's arm, leading her to the front door. "Now let's go."

Honestly, Rin really needed to get away from this testosterone-filled house. As much as she loved Sesshomaru, sometimes he just couldn't understand her as well as she hoped he would. Secondly, Rin did feel like spending the day swimming at the beach. It was a long time since she had enjoyed that kind of luxury.

As the two girls barged out the door, they failed to miss the aggravated stare that came straight from Sesshomaru's eyes.

**:3 :3 :3**

Now that felt good, Rin had to admit, as she leaned back in her lawn chair, trying to soak up as much sun as she possibly could. The satisfaction for standing up for herself as a big girl never left her and one could even say that it inflated her ego a little bit.

The point was, she never had to see those guys until the end of the day; Rin really needed to relax and all of the pent up anger from earlier that morning left her the moment she stepped onto the warm sand.

She was glad that her ego was at its all time high. She felt extremely confident and she never shied away from anything, not even from the stares from guys who happened to wolf whistle the moment Kagome and Rin arrived.

"This hits the spot," Kagome cooed happily, as she rubbed some more sunscreen on her growing stomach. "Doesn't it, baby?"

"Does it kick a lot?"

"Oh yeah. I think this sucker's ready to come out. Not today, obviously," Kagome smirked, as she continued to caress her stomach. "If this kid's a girl, I can just imagine how shocked InuYasha's going to be."

Rin also laughed; now that was something that she could actually imagine in her mind. She could picture InuYasha having a daughter first before a son and picturing InuYasha rocking a baby in a pink blanket would be so adorable to see…

"Kagome? I need to hear your thoughts on something." The best thing about having Kagome as a companion was that she was actually there to help Rin in her time of need; she was a great listener and any advice she happened to have sounded so professional.

"Is it about Sesshomaru?" Any playfulness or joking was gone - now, only Kagome was going to be serious.

"Yeah. Haven't you really noticed how he avoided me? What's the deal with that? I talked to him this morning about it but he said that I was tempting him to take me or something." And somehow, Kagome seemed really shocked about that.

"Seriously? He said that?" Her eyes were widened and everything, which did heighten Rin's suspicions that she knew something that Rin didn't. Rin wouldn't be surprised at all if she did.

"Yeah. But does it mean something?" From the look that Kagome was giving Rin right now, she had to guess that it meant something very important.

"Rin, do you know anything about mating?" Rin's heart skipped a beat; of course she did know some things about it. However, she only knew that it was something that demons did, and she received this talk from her mother before she left. "Let me rephrase that. Do you know how demons date?"

"Is it something like that?"

"Let me explain. Demons usually take half a year to start courting the people they like. In that time, they try to win them over." Okay, this definitely made sense in Rin's mind. "If they do win them over, they can get married…and they therefore consummate it." The word consummation definitely put a nasty image in Rin's mind. She didn't want to be perverted! Worst of all, why was she even picturing herself and Sesshomaru? How embarrassing…

"So was Sesshomaru trying to court me?" It was very confusing, if that happened to be the case. But then again, she was human and it could have made more sense if she was his kind.

"He might have. But he was also trying to contain his self-control. He was probably afraid that he'd take you by force." So that was what he was frightened of… Rin actually saw fear in his eyes, although it was only a tiny glimpse, and it somewhat surprised her that he could let himself show that much emotion.

"What should I do?"

"Just take things one step at a time with him. Maybe he'll come around." For Sesshomaru's sake, Rin really hoped so too.

**:3 :3 :3**

**I promise I'll make the next chapter longer! ^_^ But do you mind leaving a review? I'd love to know what you think!**


	25. Chapter 25: Down The Darkest Road

**I feel like it's been so long since I started this story… I wonder what chapter we'll be up to in a year from now. Just saying, the story isn't over yet! ;)**

**My Assassin Lover**

**Chapter 25: Down The Darkest Road**

He did not like it. As much as Sesshomaru loved the sight of Rin in her bathing suit, and even more so about how she was flustered, he was not prone to the idea of Kagome showing her off at the beach. This idea was simply not tolerated. But even though he was Rin's bodyguard, his sister-in-law thought it would be the greatest idea to leave behind the male species and head off to the beach on their own. Again, this was a stupid idea.

The thought of other men ogling Sesshomaru's intended was not appealing; in fact, it just made him angrier. But did he not trust Kagome to keep Rin safe? Did he not believe that Rin would stay by his side? She had told him that she loved him and no one else will gain her affections in that way. She belonged to him and he belonged to her.

But it was true what he said before; she was very, very tempting. All week, Sesshomaru had nearly lost control around her – he desperately wanted her that badly. He had not been avoiding her like Rin had accused him of doing; that idea was frivolous.

Just like heading to the beach wearing nothing but scanty bathing suits where men could easily harass you. The fact that Kagome refused to take him along made him angrier. Could Sesshomaru really trust Kagome for protecting Rin, even if something did happen? When you have a pregnant sister-in-law who was about to give birth, you'd think that you'd care for your baby beyond anything else.

"Suck it up, Princess. Even if you could have along, you would not have been able to stand their girl talks." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, clenched his teeth together and stared angrily toward his younger half-brother. Did he dare to patronize him?

"Do not assume what I cannot handle," Sesshomaru hissed; at this point, he might have punched InuYasha in the face, but since it would mean he lost his temper and his self-control needed some serious adjustments, keeping it cool and calm was the best bet; even if it meant that InuYasha annoyed him with his existence alone.

"If you call Kagome up, I bet she'll let you have the rest of her tampons." This was not worth a response; this was not worth a response…

"For the sake of your pup's life, I did not heard that," Sesshomaru answered with a malicious tone to his voice.

"Yeah, well, when you have kids one day, I dare you to tell them that," InuYasha scoffed, waving off Sesshomaru's threat like it was nothing. InuYasha had always been headstrong and never frightened about what Sesshomaru could do to him.

"Is there mail?" Sesshomaru was not stupid – he was as clever as anyone could get. He knew that InuYasha and Kagome, not to mention his father, were hoping that Sesshomaru would have his own family one day. But Sesshomaru never really put much thought into that.

He was not going to talk about this with anyone.

"Yeah. Rin got a letter from her mother." InuYasha tossed the letter toward Sesshomaru and he caught it without much effort. "She had a lot of nerve telling all of this to her through that."

"You read this?" Again, not really surprising that InuYasha had the nerve to snoop through other people's business. Not surprising that he had turned into a disrespectful man with a filthy mouth. Not really surprising that InuYasha didn't care what other people thought about him.

"What would you have done?" InuYasha rolled his eyes in his typical sarcastic fashion, before he sat down at the kitchen table with a beer in one hand. "If it had been Ryusei, you would have wanted to read it too."

"Do not presume to think what this Sesshomaru would have done," Sesshomaru opened the letter and he started to read it. Within the first minute, there was nothing in this letter that they hadn't even known. But then again, maybe the Empress didn't really count on having them read her letter.

"And let me tell you again, I know you better than you think," InuYasha sneered, before chugging down the contents of his beverage.

"Are you planning to tell Rin about this?" InuYasha shrugged his shoulders.

"It's not really up to me. But if you want my opinion, she should be told about this." The warning in his eyes was not unfamiliar to Sesshomaru. "But now is not the right time. Not when she's all happy again."

"So you are proposing of hiding the truth from her?"

"Do you think it'd be a good idea, Sherlock, to say it out in the open?" If there was a pet peeve that Sesshomaru could not stand whatsoever was InuYasha's annoying ability to patronize him at every turn. Sesshomaru was the older brother and found it absolutely infuriating that InuYasha continued to think that he was the alpha male. His stupidity will probably run through his future children.

"Rin will most likely despise you and your mate if you do keep this from her."

"Wouldn't you rather have you hate you than getting herself killed?" InuYasha's words, which were harsh, but they were also the truth.

"Rin is not that incompetent to do so with this Sesshomaru in her presence."

"But look what happened at the bridge. You almost let her die." Sesshomaru did not like being reminded of that day. He did not like it when InuYasha himself had to use that memory to his own advantage just to prove his own point.

"This Sesshomaru will not make the same mistake twice." He was perfectly capable of protecting Rin. But InuYasha did not look convinced.

"Well whatever. But just stop with the third person shit. We all damn know who you are."

**:3 :3 :3**

How long has it been since she left home? A month? A couple of months? That sounded right, but at the same time, it didn't. Time passed way too slowly and Rin was starting to lose hope that she'd come out of this unscathed. She was nearly killed twice now; and who knows, maybe the third attempt would actually come out as a success. But Sesshomaru was her protector; he'd keep her safe.

But still – Rin couldn't help but worry about one other thing. Ryusei. She couldn't keep prolonging the inevitable; she had to tell him that she loved Sesshomaru and she couldn't go through with the engagement. Would he be angry with her? Would he accept that she had no room in his heart for him?

She didn't want to inflict pain unto him; he would be surely heartbroken, but he could find another wife, couldn't he?

Rin had the strangest feeling about Ryusei. The last time she saw him was at her birthday and even when he tried talking with her, Rin was getting some bad vibes. He couldn't be a bad man. But from what her feminine intuition had been telling her on and off lately was that he was evil. Should she tell Sesshomaru about her feelings? Should she let him know that there was something off about Ryusei? Or should she just write a letter to Ryusei in private? That sounded like the best idea; she didn't want to get anyone else involved.

And then there was the matter of writing to her mother and father. She missed them dearly, but she wondered if she would ever hear from them ever again. Well Rin was now determined to pour all of her emotions out unto paper and send it off to her parents; they just had the right to know how Rin was doing lately.

"Rin, are you okay?" Kagome asked, immediately bringing Rin back to Earth from her daydreaming.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking…" Maybe Rin should tell Kagome how she felt about things. Maybe she should take advantage of what Kagome had to offer as a friend – she could trust her. "I don't have a good feeling about Ryusei."

Rin didn't think that Kagome would look shocked at this, but the expression on her face, and the anxiety shining through her eyes, said it all. Maybe shocked wasn't the right word; Kagome looked extremely guilty, but for what reason, she didn't know.

"I saw him at the party last week and… I just got bad vibes. Do you think I'm paranoid?"

"No. You have every right to be cautious." Should Rin interpret that as something to be taken seriously? She knew that she should; Kagome looked downright terrified about something. Did she have similar thoughts about Ryusei?

"Kagome, I need your opinion about something. I can't prolong it anymore. Ryusei's going to have to know that I'm breaking off the engagement."

Kagome bit her lip, uncertain what to tell Rin. Mixtures of emotions were running through her right now and the majority of them were fear and anxiety. Kagome could tell Rin about everything that had happened. Rin did have the right to know, but why was she hesitating? She was afraid about Rin's reaction. But keeping the truth longer than she should have would make everything worse. Kagome vowed to put it off until they got back.

"You want to write to him?" This could not happen; Ryusei had been responsible for sending those men to kidnap her in the first place. But Rin didn't know that yet…

"I need to let him know somehow."

"Rin, I need to tell you something about him," her voice was stern and serious, which did cause shivers to run down Rin's spine; she knew that she had been hiding something from her. And now she would learn what it was. If it was about Ryusei, then her suspicions would be proven to be correct, right?

"You're not worried about others listening?" They were still at the beach, relaxing underneath the golden sun, where dozens of people were either sun tanning like them or swimming in the cool water. There might be one person that was listening in to their conversation, but that was just Rin's opinion.

"No. I don't feel any one of Takemaru's guys here."

"How could you tell?"

"I'm a miko. I've been trained to learn these things." Priestesses were commonly known as the saviours of mankind. It was always their duty to protect humans from demon attacks, but not only that, they specialized in purification and medicinal training. They were kind of like monks and doctors combined together." Kagome began, Rin leaned in, listening intently to what Kagome had to say.

"But anyway… Ryusei… he's an assassin working for Takemaru; he had been the one to send those men to come after you." Rin's skin paled as she digested this information. For a couple of minutes she was speechless. Truth was, she didn't know what to think either. She thought that Ryusei was a bad person and now that she got the truth from Kagome, it was definitely safe to say that he was the reason they had to leave. Their whereabouts were compromised…

Rin glanced into Kagome's eyes and the fear that she had found in them before definitely made sense. But was she scared about how she reacted? Did she think that she hated her for keeping the truth to herself? Rin could never hate anyone – except for Ryusei and Takemaru. It wasn't in her nature to be petty like that.

"Kagome, I don't hate you," Rin murmured, laying her hand on top of Kagome's shoulder. "I'm shocked, but I can't hate you for keeping this to yourself."

"Are you sure? I know this isn't in my place to say, but Sesshomaru knew about this too."

And all of a sudden, Rin felt like she had been betrayed; her heart was breaking little by little. At first she couldn't believe it, but the truth was in Kagome's eyes. There was no use denying it. "What?" Rin croaked. "Why couldn't he tell me about this? I thought… I thought he trusted me."

It wasn't Kagome's fault, Rin knew that much. But her boyfriend was keeping this to himself… why would he do that? Didn't he ever think that she wanted to know? Was he certain of how Rin would react to this?

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It's not your fault."

_You didn't think you'd come out of this unscathed, now, did you, little girl? _A voice cackled amusedly within the crevices of her mind.

Rin definitely had to have a talk with Sesshomaru when they got back. He'd have to tell her everything once she brought it up. Although she'd be lying if she said she was looking forward to this conversation.

"Thanks for telling me though. Now I'm not left in the dark," Rin cracked a smile, but it was fake, and there was no real joy in it.

**:3 :3 :3**

"They have failed to bring her back," Takemaru sighed, utterly hopeless, but also angry that things have not gone his way. But how could one hope to capture a woman such as Rin when she had protection from Sesshomaru?

"Yes," Ryusei stated, bowing low to his lord. "But I will get her."

Ryusei was furious, to say the least, that his intended's life had almost ended – due to the carelessness of his men that he had sent to retrieve her. But they did fulfil their punishment; they did die and Ryusei couldn't say they didn't deserve such a horrible fate.

"Fine. Do as you wish. I won't stop you."

"But Inutaisho's other son. Do you wish for him to die as well?"

"Everyone dies."

**:3 :3 :3**

**I know I said this chapter would be longer. I guess I'm a liar. :P But I didn't know what else to put! Anyway, mind leaving a review? I'd love to know what you think!**


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